DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 

\ 

NE  JVYQRK  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, \ 


AT  THEIR  ANNUAL  MEETING , APRIL  3,  1804. 


By  JOHN  H.  LIVINGSTON,  D.  D.  S.  T.  P. 


TO  WHICH  ARE  ADDED,  AN 


APPENDIX, 

AND  OTHER  PAPERS  RELATING  TO 

AMERICAN  MISSIONS^ 


(giemfielO. 

PRINTED  BY  JOHN  DENIO. 


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A SERMON. 


REVELATION  XIV.  G,  7. 

And  If  aw  another  angel  fly  in  the  viidfl  of  heaven,  hav- 
ing the  everlajling  Gofpel  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth , and  to  every  nation , and  kindred , and 
tongue , and  people,  faying,  with  a loud  voice.  Fear  God, 
and.  give  glory  to  him  ; for  the  hour  of  bis  judgment  is 
come  ; and  worjhip  him  that  made  heaven , and  earth , 
and  the  fca,  and  the  fountains  of  waters . 

T HE  glory  of  God,  the  love  of  Chrift,  and 
the  falvation  of  fmners,  fuggell  conftraining  motives 
for  propagating  the  Gofpel.  The  command  to  teach 
all  nations,  and  the  promife  that  the  word  {hall  not  re- 
turn void,  prefent  a warrant  and  encouragement  to  vig- 
orous exertions  for  converting  the  heathen.  Chrii- 
tians  have  always  recognized  the  obligation,  and  pro- 
faned a fubmiffion  to  this  duty  ; yet  they  have  crim- 
inally neglected  the  means,  or  ignobly  Numbered  in 
the  work. 

In  the  dark  period  of  ignorance  and  opprdllon, 
when  the  Church  lied  before  an  implacable  enemy,  it 
was  impofiible  to  devife  liberal  plans,  or  proi'ecute  any 
benevolent  deiign  for  the  enlargement  of  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom.  Her  fttuation  precluded  every 
generous  effort.  But  why,  in  more  profperous  times, 
did  believers  abate  in  their  zeal  ? Why  for  the  fpace 
of  three  centuries,  when  placed  beyond  the  reach  of 
perfecution,  have  no  ftrenuous  meafures  been  adopt- 
ed for  extending  the  knowledge  of  the  Savior  ? ]$Ien, 
eminent  for  their  piety  and  talents,  have,  in  fuccei- 
flop,  been  raifed  up  in  the  Church.  jMany,  during 


[ * ] 


fliis  long  interval,  have  defended  the  truth,  and,  by 
their  invaluable  writings,  recommended  the  excel- 
lence and  power  of  godlinefs.  Faithful  and  learned 
minifters  have  indefatigably  labored  ; and  the  Lord 
hath  often  fent  a plentiful  rain , and  confirmed  bis  in- 
heritance when  it  was  weary  • but  ftill  an  extenfive  pro- 
mulgation of  the  Gofpel  has  not  been  ferioufly  at- 
tempted. '•  Nothing  fince  the  primitive  ages  of  Chrif- 
tianity,  deferving  the  name,  has  appeared,  until  the 
prefent  period.*  Now,  at  a leafon  the  moft  unprom- 
ifing,  when  wars,  revolutions,  and  confufion  pre- 
vail ; now,  when  infidelity  afiumes  a formidable  af- 
pect,  increafes  its  votaries,  and  arrogantly  threatens 
to  crulh  revealed  religion  ; at  this  yery  time,  under 
all  thefe  inaufpicious  circumftances,  fee  the  Church 
enlarging  the  place  of  her  tent , and  Jlr etching  forth  the 
curtains  of  her  habitation  ! She  breaks  forth  on  the  right 
hand  and  on  the  left , to  inherit  the  Gentiles , and  make  the 
dcfolate  cities  to  be  inhabited-  All  who  embrace  the 
doctrines  of  grace,  in  every  nation,  feem  infpired 
with  the  fame  fpirit.  Vail  plans  arc  formed,  wn- 
menfe  expenfes  incurred,  and  the  moll  dillant  conti- 
nents and  illands  become  the  objects  of  attention. 
Now,  the  deplorable  ftate  of  thole  who  dwell  in  the 
land  of  the  fhadow  of  death,  and  perifh  for  lack  of 
knowledge,  excites  companion.  Societies  are  infti- 
tuted  to  facilitate  the  work  ; and  men,  zealous  and 
intrepid  in  the  lervice  of  their  Lord,  readily  offer  to 
vifit  the  utmoft  ends  of  the  earth,  and  cheerfully  fub- 
mit  to  the  toils  and  dangers  infeparable  from  miffiori- 
ary  labors. 

v Such  views  and  efforts  conllitute  a diftinguifhed 
epoch  in  the  hiftorv  of  the  Church. f Events  lo  fin- 
gular>  and  in  their  confequences  fo  interefting,  create 
ferious  inquiries.  The  alliduous  obferver  of  Divine 
Providence,  lofing  fight  of  fuborninate  agents,  looks 
up,  and  alks,  What  is  God  doing  ? Wliv  are  the  in- 
tricate wheels,  which,  with  refpebl  to  this  important 
objeft,  liave  fo  long  feemed  ftationary,  now  put  in 


* Sec  Appendix,  pote  A, 


[ 5 ] 

motion  ? Is  there  nothing  in  tl>e  word  of  God,  is 

there  no  promife,  no  predi&ion,  which  v LH  ifluftrate 
the  procedure  of  Providence,  and  inform  his  people 
of  the  rife  and  progrefs,  the  fource  and  tendency  of 
this  aftonifhing  movement  ? From  the  prophecies  of 
the  Old  Teftament  refpe cling  the  kingdom  of  Chrift, 
a fatisfaclory  reply  cannot  be  obtained.  'ihofc 
prophecies  refer  chiefly  to  the  beginning  or  to  the 
ponclufion  of  the  Gofpel  difpenfation.  Some  \yere 
accompliihed  in  the  days  of  the  apoftles  and  their 
immediate  fucceflors.  The  moft  of  them  look  for- 
ward to  a diitant  period.  Very  little  concerning  the 
intermediate  fpace,  or  the  train  of  events  which 
mark  the  approach,  and  are  to  ufher  in  the  glory  or 
pf  the  latter  days,  can  be  from  them  exprefsly  col- 
lected.* Our  blefTcd  Lord,  in  many  of  his  parables, 
delineates  the  gradual  and  extenlive  progrefs  of  his 
kingdom.  In  the  Epiftles  i formidable  adverlary  is 
mentioned,  whom  the  Lord Jhall  confume  with  the  breath 
of  his  mouth,  and  foall  dejiroy  with  the' bright  nefs  of  his 
coming.  But  our  rnoft  decifive  information  is  to  be 
derived  from  the  Apocalypse.!  The  various  vicif- 
fitudes  which,  in  fucceflion,  dehgnate  the  prefent  dif- 
penfation of  the  Church,  and  the  time  when  the 
promifes  will  be  fulfilled,  are  there  'more  pointedly 
deferibed  than  in  any  other  portion  of  the  ficred  » 
feriptures.  To  a prophecy  in  this  book  1 have  pre- 
fumed, my  Brethren,  upon  this  occafon.  to  requel’: 
your  attention  ; a prophecy  in  which  }rou  will  iind 
an  anfwer  to  your  inquiries,  and  from  which  it  is  my 
deflgn  to  deduce  a new  motive  for  flrenuous  and 
perievering  exertions  in  your  miflionary  engage- 
ments. 

Convinced  of  the  difficulties  which  unavoidably 
attend  the  explanation  of  prophecies  not  yet  accom- 
plifhed,  and  perfuaded  of  a prevailing  dlfpofition  to 
magnify  prelent  events  ; aware  of  the  propen  iky 
which  urges  to  anticipate  what  is  future  a .d  fenfib; e 
of  the  peculiar  circumfpedior.  with  which  we  ought 

* See  Appendix  C. 


f See  Appendix  D. 


t * 3 

to  comment  upon  the  book  of  Revelation  ; I ap- 
proach my  fubjed  with  humility  and  diffidence  ; yet 
not  without  hope  that  the  meaning  of  the  Holy  Spiiv 
it,  in  the  paffage  feleded  for  our  meditation,  is  right- 
ly apprehended,  and  that  fomething  may  be  adduced 
for  inftrucHon  and  edification.  Let  us  endeavor, 

I.  To  alberta: a the  objed  of  this  prophecy  ; and 
then, 

II.  Inveftigate  the  period  of  Its  accomplifhment. 

Fuji.  To  ascertain  the  objed  of  this  prophecy,  and 

determine  what  event  is  here  predicted,  let  it  be  ob- 
served, that  in  this  chapter  feveral  diftind  vifions  are 
recorded,  which  follow  each  other  in  uninterrupted 
lucceffion,  referring  to  events,  which,  in  that  very  or- 
der, v.  ill  be  accomplifhed  ; that  the  vifion  now  un- 
der conilderation  is  the  Second,  and,  in  regard  to  its 
meaning  and  precife  objed,  is  uninfluenced  by  what 
precedes  or  follows, 

John  once  beheld  and  heard  an  angel flying  through 
the  midjl  of  heaven , faying , with  a loud  voice , Woe,  woct 
wee , to  the  inhabit ers  of  the  earth  !*  The  charaders 
and  feene  now  before  us  arc  of  a different  nature  ; 
inftead  of  woe  and  alarm,  they  are  replete  with  glad 
tidings  and  confolation.  I faw  another  angel  fly  in 
ttjji  midjl  of  heaven,  having  the  ever  la  fang  Gofpel  to 
preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth.  In  this  text 
the  hicroglyphLa!  and  alphabetical  language  both  occur. 
A few  fvinbols  are  firft  introduced,  after  which  an  ex- 
planation  fucceeds  in  the  ordinary  ityle. 

The  ^symbols  are,  heaven , and  an  angel , bearing  a pre- 
cious treaiii vc,  flying  in  the  midjl  of  heaven,  and  crying 
with  a loud  voice.  Heaven  is  often,  throughout  the 
Scripture,  uled  literally  to  indicate  the  plac»  of 
glory,  the  beatific  vjlion,  the  manfiofi  of  the  blefled. 
In  the  paffage  before  us  it  is  a Symbol,  and  means  the 
Church  under  the  New  Teftament  difpcnlation.  Th$ 
jn'ujl  if  heaven , then,  is  the  in  id  ft  of  the  Chriftian 
Churches.  Angkj.  i,s  an  official  term  ; it  is  frequent- 
ly applied  to  thiTc  fpiritual  and  celeftial  beings  wflo 


* Rev.  yffi.  13. 


C 7 J 

are  fent  forth  to  minifter  to  the  heirs  of  falvation  ; 
but  the  word  exprefles  not  fo  much  the  nature  as  the 
character  and  duty  of  thofe  who  are  employed  as  mct- 
fengers.  It  is  here  a fymbol,  and  reprcfents  the  min- 
isters of  the  Gofpel,  the  meflengers  of  the  Lord  to  his 
people  ; and  means  not  one  particular  minifter,  but  a 
Gofpel  miniftry  in  the  aggregate.  Of  this  a fatisfaCto- 
ry  explanation  occurs  in  the  fecond  and  third  chap- 
ters of  this  book,  where  the  fymbol  always  refers  to 
the  miniftry  of  the  churches.  Flying  is  the  figure 
of  fpecd.  A continued  flying  indicates  an  uninter- 
rupted and  unceafing  progrefs.  The  loud  voice  ez- 
prefles  earneftnefs,  zeal  and  authority. 

From  the  fymbolical  terms  we  then  collect,  that 
John  forefaw  a period  when  a zealous  miniftry  would 
arife  in  the  midil  of  the  Churches,  with  a new  and  ex- 
traordinary fpirit  ;■  a miniftry  Angular  in  its  views 
and  exertions,  and  remarkable  for  its  plans  and  fuc- 
cefs  ; a miniftry  which  would  arreft  the  public  at- 
tention, and  be  a prelude  to  momentous  changes  in 
the  Church  and  in  the  world. 

The  literal  explanation  removes  every  doubt  res- 
pecting the  meaning  of  thefe  fymbols.  What  is  the 
treafure  the  angel  bears  ? What  does  he  proclalm- 
with  fo  loud  a \^)ice  ? To  whom  is  his  mefiage  di- 
rected ? Each  of  thefe  is  here  determined.  The  an- 
gel has  the  everlafting  gofpel  to  preach  r-  This  is  his 
treafure.  He  calls  to  the  practice  of  the  eflential  du- 
ties of  true  religion,  and  announces  the  hour  of  God’s 
judgment  : This  is  the  import  of  his  proclamation. 
He  is  eommiflioned  to  vifit  every  nation  and  people 
on  the  earth  : To  them  his  meSa^e  is  directed.— 

-V  ' ' 

Some  of  thefe  articles  deferve  a minute  difeuffion  ; 
but  we  muft  be  contented  with  a few'  brief  obferva- 
tions  upon  each. 

1.  The  Gospel  fignifies  good  tidings,  tidings  of 
great  joy,  of  falvation  for  loft:  finners,  falvation  from 
great  mifery,  procured  by  a great  price,  a great  fac- 
tion. To  preach  this  Gofpel  is  officially  to  declare 
the  fact,  and  authoritatively  to  command  and  per- 


[ S ] 

ftiade  finners  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  So  the  teleftiai 
angel  preached  the  Gofpel  to  the  Shepherds  in  the 
field  of  Bethlehem,  when  he  publiflied  the  birth  of 
the  Savior.  So  the  apofiolic  angels  preached  the  Gof- 
pel when  they  v/ent  forth  as  ambajjadors  for  Chriji. 
and  inculcated  repentance  and  faith.  So  the  ordina- 
ry angels  of  the  Churches  have  continued  in  every 
age  to  preach  the  Gfofpel,  as  far  as  they  have  faithful- 
ly profeffed  and  taught  the  doctrines  of  Jefus  and 
his  apoftlcs. 

This  Gofpel  is  here  called  everlasting,  not  mere- 
ly becaufe  it  was  devifed  in  the  eternal  counfel  of  peace 
between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  becaufe  it  is  ef- 
tablilhed  by  an  everlafling  covenant,  which  renders 
all  the  benefits  well  ordered,  fure,  and  perpetual ; but 
it  is  thus  denominated  with  particular  emphafis,  in' 
this  prophecy,  to  indicate  that  the  Gofpel,  which 
Ihould  go  forth  from  the  midft  of  the  Churches,  and 
be  fent  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  would  be  the 
fame  Gofpel  which  had  always  been  maintained  by 
the  faithful  followers  of  the  Redeemer  ; the  fame 
Gofpel  which  was  preached  before  unto  Abraham  ; the 
fame  which  all  believers  embraced  under  the  Old  Tef* 
tament ; the  fame  which  the  Apoftles  preached  and 
the  primitive  Chriftians  profeffed  ; the  fame  to  which 
the  fealed  of  the  Lord  bore  witnefs  during  the  perfe- 
ction of  ahtichrift  ; the  fame  for  which  the  Church- 
es at  the  Reformation  protefted,  and  which  has  fince, 
by  many  of  thofe  Churches,  been  preferved  in  its  pu- 
rity. The  very  fame  weapons,  and  no  other,  which 
had  been  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  offtrong - 
holds  heretofore,  Ihould  now  be  effectually  employed. 
This  afeertains  that,  at  the  period  intended  in  the  vi- 
lion,  the  doctrines  of  grace  would  be  faithfully  preach- 
ed ; that  the  miffionaries  fent  out  from  the  niidft  of 
the  Churches  would  be,  like  Barnabas,  good  men,  full 
of  the  Iioly  Ghojl,  and  oj  faith  ; that  they  would  not 
accommodate  their  meffage  to  the  pride  of  philofoph- 
ers,  to  the  prejudice  Of  infidels,  or  the- bigotry  of  idol- 
aters : but  houeftly,  plainly,  and  boldly  preach  Cbryl; 


t 9 1 

and  him  crucified  ; Chrift,  the  way,  the  truth , and  the 
life , by  whom  alone  finneys  can  come  to  the  Father  ; 
that,  without  flattery  or  dilguife,  they  would  call 
traiifgreflors  to  repentance,  \nd  offer  a Savior  to  the 
chief  or  finners.  ( f 

2.  To  what  doth  the  angel  call  ? What  is  the  im- 
port of  his  proclamation  ? In  three  comprelienfive 
Lnfences  a funmury  of  the  whole  is  exhibited — Fear 
God  ; give  glory  to  him  ; and  worship  him.  By  the 
fear,  ot*  God,  the  whole  of  true  religion,  as  it  ref- 
pects  principles  and  practice,  is  often  expreffed  ; par- 
ticularly a veneration  for  the  infinite  majefty  of  Jeho- 
vah, and  a holy  dread  of  his  judgments.  The  Lord 
is  the  true  God , he  is  the  living  God , and evsrlafiingKing  ; 
at  his  wrath  the  earth  fijall  tremble.  Who  would  not  fear 
thee , 0 King  of  Nations  ? For  to  thee  doth  it  appertain. 
But  the  fear  particularly  inculcated  by  the  Gofpel  is 
here’efpecially  intended  ; not  a fervile  dread,  which 
urges  awakened  linners  to  defpair,  and  extinguilhes  de- 
votion ; but  a holy  reverence,  blended  with  fuch  per- 
fect love  as  cafteth  out  flaviih  fear.  The  fpirit  of  a- 
dopdon  feals  the  forgivenefs  of  fins — is  an  earneft  of 
acceptance  in  the  beloved — and  excites  in  his  people  a 
filial  fear.  There  is  forgivenefs  with  thee , that  thou 
mayefl  be  feared. 

Give  glory  to  him,  is  added  by  the  angel,  as  an- 
other comprehensive  fummary  of  the  Gofpel  call.  In 
all  his  divine  attributes  God  is  infinitely  glorious. 
The  heavens  declare  his  glory.  The  whole  earth  is 
full  of  his  glory.  All  his  works  praife  him.  He  is 
glorious  in  his  holinefs  and  fearful  in  his  praifes.  But 
in  the  face  of  Jelus  Chrift  the  glory  of  God  fhines 
moll  confpicuoufty.  In  the  falvation  of  guilty,  de- 
praved, and  helplefs  tranfgreffors,  through  the  imput- 
ed righteoufnefs  of  the  blefied  Immanuel,  glory  re- 
dounds to  God  in  the  higheft.  The  Gofpel  difplays 
the  glory  of  his  majefly  ; and  wherever  it  is  rendered 
the  wifdom  and  power  of  God  unto  falvation,  it  in- 
ftructs  the  redeemed  to  give  glory  unto  the  Lord. 

The  angel  concludes  with  the  authoritative  coru- 
\ B 5 - 


E io  ] 

mane!,  Worjhip  him.  Revealed  religion  reftores  true 
worlhip  to  the  world,  dire&s  to  the  right  object,  and 
opens  the  only  way  for  finners  to  the  mercy  feat.  It  is 
with  peculiar  propriety-  the  prophecy  mentions,  that 
the  worlhip  taught  by  the  Gofpel  is  the  worlhip  of 
the  Creator,  who  made  heaven  and  earth , and  the  fea 
and  the  Fountains  of  waters*  It  inculcates  this  great 
truth,  that  revealed  religion  adopts,  confirms,  and  en- 
joins the  religion  of  nature  ; that  God,  who  is  related 
to  us  as  Creator , has  revealed  himfelf  alfo  in  the  new 
and  adorable  relation  of  P.edeemer  ; that  finners,  there- 
fore, who  come  to  the  Savior,  come  to  him  who 
made  them  ) in  worfhipping  their  Redeemer  they 
worlhip  their  Creator.  Thy  Maker  is  thy  hujband. 

This  meets  the  objections  of  infidelity,  and  feems  to 
point  to  prevailing  principles  at  the  time  when  the  e- 
vent  foretold  will  be  accomplilhed.  The  everlafting 
Gofpel  which  the  angel  proclaims  demonftrates  the 
religion  of  nature,  however  perfect  in  itfelf,  to  be  in- 
adequate for  the  falvation  of  thofe  who  have  finned. 
It  declares  tlte  Creator  to  be  a Redeemer,  and  in  this 
relation  invites  linners  to  fear  God,  to  give  him  glo- 
ry, and  worlhip  him. 

^s  a motive  for  preaching  the  Gofpel,  and  an  ar- 
gument for  its  reception,  the  angel  announces  that 
the  hour  of  God's  Judgment  is  come.  The  term  judg- 
m nt , in  the  Apocalypfe,  ufually  refperts  the  decifion 
of  the  controverfy  which  has  long  fubfilted  between 
the  world  and  Jefus  Chrilt ; but  it  is  evident  a partic- 
ular reference  is  here  made  to  the  judgment  to  be  in- 
flirted  upon  the  nations  chargeable  with  flaying  the 
witneffes.  The  nations  were  angry,\  and  thy  wrath  is 
come , and  the  time  of  the  dead  that  they  Jhou/d  be  judged  ; 
the  time  when  the  dead  faints  lhall  be  remembered, 
and  the  blood  of  the  martyrs,  by  terrible  judgments, 
be  avenged.  This  is  confidered  as  the  commencement 
of  that  awful  decifion,  the  beginning  of  that  feries  of 
judgment,  which  will  terminate  the  controverfy  be- 
tween the  Redeemer  and  his  adverfaries.  To  this, 
in  the  firfl  infunce;  the  angel  has  rclpcrt.  He  calls 
* Ails  xiv.  1.5 — xvii.  24. 


C 11  3 

with  a loud  voice — the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come.  Lot 
the  nations  tremble  ; let  the  world  adore  ; efpecial- 
ly  let  the  Churches  hear  ! The  beginning  of  this  judg- 
ment, the  very  hour  of  its  commencement,  is  the 
lignal  for  the  angel’s  flight,  and  for  extending  the 
Redeemer’s  kingdom. 

3.  To  whom  is  the  Gofpel  to  be  fent  ? To  whom 
is  the  angel  commiflioned  to  carry  his  treafure  ! Unto 
them  that  dwell  on  the  earth , and  to  every  nation , and  kin- 
dred,, and  tongue , and  people.  The  term  earth,  when  uf- 
ed  figuratively  in  this  book,  is  a fymbol  for  the  Ro- 
man Empire,  including  the  whole  extent  of  the  papal 
hierarchy.  Commentators,  who  view  it  here  as  a 
fymbol,  underhand  the  prophecy  as  only  foretelling 
the  promulgation  of  the  Gofpel  in  its  purity, 
throughout  the  bounds  of  that  empire,  as  it  is  now 
divided  into  different  nations,  tongues  and  people. 
But  the  term  has  a literal  meaning,  and  occurs  here 
in  connexion  with  the  alphabetical  language  ; it 
muff,  therefore,  be  underftood  in  its  literal  fenfe,  in- 
dicating the  whole  globe  which  we  inhabit,  with  all 
the  nations  and  people  of  the  world.  To  thefe,  how- 
ever diftant  and  dil'perfed,  diverfified  in  their  iitua- 
tion,  and  differing  in  their  manners  and  languages  ; 
to  all  thefe  the  angel  bends  his  courfe  ; to  all  thefe 
he  is  commiflioned  to  preach  the  everlafting  Gol- 
pel. 

You  have  the  meaning  of  the  prophecy.  What 
was  fuggefted  by  the  hieroglyphic,  is  illuftrated  and 
confirmed  by  the  alphabetical  language. 

John  faw  in  vifion,  that  after  a lapfe  of  time,  a An- 
gular movement  would  commence,  not  in  a folitary 
corner,  but  in  the  very  midft  of  the  Churches — 
That  the  Gofpel,  in  its  purity,  would  be  fent  to  the 
mod  diftant  lands,  and  luccefs  crown  the  benevolent 
work.  The  ordinary  exercife  of  the  miniftry,  or  the 
feeble  attempts  which,  at  different  times,  might  be 
made  to  propagate  the  Gofpel,  were  not  the  object  of 
this  vifion.  It  was  fomething  beyond  the  common 
ftandard,  which  the  apoftle  beheld  with  admiration 


C .12  ] 

and  rapture.  It  was  fuch  preaching  and  fuch  propaga- 
tion of  the  Gofpel  as  John  never  before  contemplated. 
There  was  a Magnitude  in  the  plan,  a concurrence  of 
fentiment,  a fpeed  in  the  execution,  a zeal  in  the  ef- 
forts, and  a profperity  in  the  enterprize,  which  dif- 
tinguifhed  this  from  all  former  periods. 

The  event  here  defcribed  comprehends  a fcries  of 
caufes  and  effects,  a fucceffion  of  means  and  ends, 
not  to  be  completed  in  a day,  or  finifhed  by  a fingle 
exertion.  It  is  reprefented  as  a growing  and  perma- 
nent work.  It  commences  from  fmall  beginnings  in 
the  midft  of  the  Churches,  but  it  proceeds,  and  will 
increafe  in  going.  There  are  no  limits  to  the  pro- 
grefs  of  the  angel.  From  the  time  he  begins  to  fly 
and  preach,  he  will  continue  to  fly  and  preach 
until  ne  has  brought  the  everlafting  Gofpel  to  all  na- 
tions, and  tongues,  and  kindred,  and  people  in  the 
earth.  Hail,  happy  period  1 Hail,  cheering  profpect  \ 
When  will  that  bleffed  hour  arrive  ? When  will  the 
^ngel  commence  his  flight  ? This  leads  us, 

Secondly.  To  inveftigate  the  time  when  this  prophe- 
cy will  begin  to  be  accomplifhcd. 

The  whole  Aruchire  of  the  vifion,  the  grandeur  of 
the  fcene,  and  the  folemn  expofitlon  of  the  fymbols, 
recommended  this  ifluftrious  prophecy  to  the  pecul- 
iar notice  of  the  Churches  ? and  yet  it  feemsto  have 
been  generally  neglected  or  mifreprefented  by  com- 
mentators. It  has  either  been  reftrictcd  to  what  hap- 
pened at  the  Reformation,  or  thrown  into  the  great 
mafs  of  events  which  are  to  take  place  after  the  Mil- 
lennium has  fully  commenced.  Whereas,  upon  ex- 
amination, it  will  be  found,  both  from  the  Order  of 
the  vifion  and  its  exprefs  object  that  it  comprehends 
fomething  vaftly  beyond  what  was  realized  at  the 
« Reformation.  And,  fo  far  from  aftually  belonging 
to  the  millennial  period,  it  is  only  the  appointed 
means  for  introducing  that  ftate  ; whatever  may  be  its 
progrefs  or  confummation,  it  mud,  in  the  nature  of 
things,  begin  its  operation  fome  coi.aderablc  time  be? 


I 13  ] 

fore  the  Millennium  can  commence.  Let  us  impar* 
dally  examine  the  fubjeft. 

Prophecy  is  furnifhed,  like  hiftory,  with  a chrono- 
logical calendar  ; and  the  predictions,  with  reipeft  to 
the  time  of  their  accomplifhment,  may  be  referred  to 
three  dittiinfk  daffes.  Sonx  exprefsly  fpecify  the  peri- 
od when  the  tiling  foretold  fhall  take  place,  and  give, 
either  in  literal  or  fymbolical  numbers,  the  exact  fe- 
ries  of  years  that  fliall  elapfe  before  the  fulfilment. — 
So  to  Abraham  it  was  Laid  in  plain  terms,  that  four 
hundred  years  fliould  pals  away  before  his  pofterity 
would  be  freed  from  bondage.  So  feventy  years 
were  appointed  for  Judah  to  remain  in  captivity.  So 
alfo  feventy  weeks,  a fymbolical  term  for  four  hun- 
dred and  ninety  years,  were  to  intervene  between 
the  decree  of  Artaxerxes  and  the  death  of  the  Mcf- 
fiah.  Other  predictions  do  not  fpecify  any  feries  of 
years  from  which  a computation  can  proceed,  but 
connect  the  event  with  fontething  preceding  or  lub- 
quent.  In  fuch,  the  key  of  explanation  mult  be 
found  in  the  order  of  the  events.  To  the  third  clafs 
belong  thofe  prophecies  in  which  no  time  is  mention- 
ed, and  no  order  eltabliflied,  but  other  events  are 
predicted,  and  declared  to  be  coexiltent.  Whenever, 
therefore,  thofe  take  place,  the  event  in  queltion  may 
be  expected. 

Agreeably  to  this  arrangement,  we  find  the  pre- 
diction now  under  confideration  does  not  belong  to 
the  firft  clafs.  There  is  no  mention  of  time,  no  peri- 
od named,  no  number  of  years,  either  fymbolical  or 
literal,  from  which  a calculation  can  proceed,  or  any 
expectation  be  formed,  when  the  preaching  angel 
will  begin  his  flight. 

To  the  fccond  clafs  it  muft  be  attached.  To  the  or- 
der of  the  event  we  mult  be  principally  indebted  for 
information.  The  vifion  before  us  is  the  fecond  re- 
corded in  this  chapter.  Confiflently  with  an  eftab- 
lifhed  rule  refpecting  an  uninterrupted  order  of  pror 
phecies  expreffing  the  aflual  feries  of  events,  the  time- 
when  the  angel  will  commence  his  preaching  niufl.  fc>e> 


[ 14  3 

after  what  is  intended  by  the  firft  villon,  and  before 
the  third.  At  fome  period  between  thefe  two  ex- 
tremes this  prophecy  will  be  accomplished. 

What  was  the  object  of  the  firft  vifion  ? If  you  at- 
tend to  the  hieroglyphic,  and  the  expofition  which  fol- 
lows ; efpecially  when  you  compare  the  whole  with 
what  is  found  in  the  Seventh  chapter  of  this  book, 
you  will  not  helitate  to  determine,  that  the  great  e- 
•vent,  which  is  commonly  called  the  reformation,  was 
there  intended.1"  This  happened  in  the  beginning  of 
the  fixteenth  century.  The  firft  vifion,  then,  reS- 
pe6ts  an  event  we  know  is  accomplifiied,  and  has  ac- 
tually happened  about  three  hundred  years  ago. 

In  the  third  vifion  the  fall  of  great  Babylon  is  pre- 
dicted. By  this  Symbolical  name  is  indiSputably  in- 
tended, the  Seat  and  dominion  of  that  powerful  adver- 
sary, who  for  many  ages  has  oppofed  the  interefts  of 
true  religion,  encroached  upon  the  prerogatives  of 
Jefus  Chrift,  and  perfecuted  his  faithful  followers. — 
The  duration  of  this  enemy  is  limited  to  twelve 
hundred  and  fixty  prophetic  years.  Different  calcu- 
lations have  been  made  refpecting  the  time  when  his 
reign  actually  commenced,  which  renders  it  difficult 
to  determine  the  precife  period  of  his  deftruction  ; 
but  the  lateft  date  which  has  been,  or,  indeed,  can  be, 
fixed  for  his  rife,  extends  his  continuance  to  the  year 
1999  ;f  consequently  his  fall  muft,  at  fartheft,  be  im- 
mediately before  the  year  2000,  when  the  Millenni- 
um will  be  fully  introduced. J 

Here,  then,  we  have  found  two  extremes,  between 
which  the  prediction  in  queftion  will  be  fulfilled.  It 
muft  be  after  the  Reformation,  and  before  the  fall  of 
antichrift.  The  angel  muft  begin  his  flight  after  the 
year  1.500,  and  before  the  year  2000.  This  brings 
our  inquiry  within  the  Space  of  five  hundred 
years. 

Thefe  boundaries  will  be  abridged,  when  we  re- 
flect that  three  hundred  years  have  elapfed  Since  the 
reformation,  and  nothing  corresponding  to  the  vi- 

* See  .Appendix  E.  f See  Appendix  F.  % Sec  Appendix  G. 


[ 15  J 

lion  has  yet  been  feen  ; nothing  in  refpecl  to  the  u- 
niverfality,  the  power,  and,  fuccefe,  which  character- 
ize the  preaching  of  the  gofpel  defcribed  in  the  pre- 
diction. Much  was  confefl'edly  done  ; great  things 
were  achieved  at  the  Reformation.  But  this  is  anoth- 
er angel — this  foretells  another  preaching,  vaftly  more 
enlarged  and  interefting  in  its  confequences  than  any 
thing  which  happened  then,  or  at  any  period  fince. 
It  delineates  an  event  which,  when  eftimated  in  all  its 
concurring  circumftances,  cannot  fail  of  eftablifhing 
the  conviction,  that  it  is  not  yet  fulfilled.  Three 
hundred  years  have  pafled  away,  and  inftead  of  in- 
creafiing,  the  Church  has  rather  diminiflied  in  puri- 
ty, in  zeal,  and  in  numbers.  She  has  retired,  fome 
fteps  at  leaft,  back  into  the  wildernefs  again,  and 
doth  not  now  maintain  that  eminence  nor  ling  with 
fo  elevated  a note,  as  when  flie  made  her  appearance 
upon  Mount  Zion  at  the  Reformation. 

We  are  compelled,  therefore,  to  look  forward  for 
the  aecompliihment  ; and  are  now  reduced  to  the 
fhort  remaining  fpace  of  two  hundred  years.  With- 
in this  compafs  there  can  be  no  miftake.  At  fome 
point  of  time  from,  and  including  the  prefent  day, 
and  before  the  clofe  of  two  hundred  years,  the  angel 
mud  begin  to  fly  in  the  midft  of  the  Churches,  and 
preach  the  everlafting  Gofpel  to  all  nations  and 
tongues,  and  kindred,  and  people  in  the  earth. 

Tlius  far  the  prophecy,  taken  in  its  connexion  and 
order,  has  afiifted  us  in  our  calculation.  We  (hall, 
perhaps^  approach  nearer,  if  we  attend  to  moment- 
ous events , which,  from  the  whole  tenor  of  the  pro- 
phetic word,  we  know  are  to  happen  previous  to  the 
millennium,  and,  confequently,  within  two  hundred 
years.  If  thele  be  fuch  as  will  neceflarily  require  con* 
fiderable  time,  and  if  the  event  in  queftion  be  infepa- 
rably  connected  with  them,  and  ftand  foremofi:  in 
the  feries,  we  may  be  enabled,  from  them,  to  form  a 
rational  conclulion  of  the  probable  feafoa  when  tlji? 
will  commence. 

The  events  to  which  vve  allude  are — the  punifiir 


[ 16  ] 

ment  of  the  nations  who  aided  antichrift  in  murder- 
ing the  fervants  of  God — the  converfion  of  the  Jews 
— the  bringing  in  the  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles — and 
the  fall  of  myflical  Babylon.  Whether  the  order 
of  thefe  events  will  accord  to  this  enumeration  j 
whether  they  will  begin  at  once,  and  move  forward 
together  ; or  whatever  may  be  the  length  of  time  be- 
tween one  and  the  other  ; our  reasoning  upon  them 
will  not  be  affected,  fince  they  are  all  to  be  completed 
within  the  fpace  of  two  hundred  years. 

It  would  lead  us  too  far  from  the  fubject  immedi- 
ately before  us,  to  difcufs  the  feveral  articles  we  have 
Hated,  to  attempt  to  demonltrate  their  certainty,  or 
calculate  the  precife  time  of  their  accomplifhment  ; 
we  mull  here  take  them  for  granted,  and  content 
ourfelves  with  little  more  than  naming  them. 

Before  we  advert,  however,  to  either  of  thefe,  it 
may  obviate  erroneous  inferences,  and  affift  in  form- 
ing a juft  eftimate  of  the  time  required  for  the  ac- 
complifhment, briefly  to  premife — that  an  inviolable 
harmony  for  ever  fubfifts  between  every  fubordinate 
event  and  the  great  end  to  which  God  has  always  ref- 
pect  in  the  adminiftration  of  his  providence,  and  no- 
thing is  ever  admitted  to  the  injury  of  this  harmony 
— that  the  defigns  of  providence  are  always  executed 
in  a way  fuited  to  the  f'ubjects  to  which  they  relate, 
and  analogous  to  the  ufual  procedure  in  fimilar  ca- 
fes— that  as  the  attainment  of  every  end  is  affected 
by  proper  means,  fo  the  progrefs  which  characterizes 
all  the  works  of  God  is  gradual  ; and — that  we  are 
not  permitted  to  indulge  in  the  marvelous,  or  expect 
an  unnecelfary  profusion  of  miracles,  where  the  end 
can  be  obtained  by  the  concurrence  of  ordinary  cadf- 
es  and  affects.  Thefe  are  maxims  reflecting  the  mor- 
al government  of  God  ; and  in  judging  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  thofe  events  will  be  produced,  and  con- 
fequcntly,  in  eftimating  the  fpace  of  time  required 
for  their  completion,  are  to  be  particularly  recollect- 
ed. 

1.  We  mentioned  / W pun'jhment  of  the  nations  ru)ht 


[ 17  3 

aided  antichrijl  in  murdering  toe  fervants  of  God.  That 
the  blood  of  the  martyrs  will  be  avenged,  and  the 
wrath  of  God  poured  out  upon  the  nations  who  wick- 
edly ihed  that  blood,  is  awfully  intimated,  Rev.  vi. 
9,  10,  1 1,  aud  is  indifputably  confirmed  by  a folemn 
appeal  to  the  perfections  of  Jehovah.  Rev.  xvi.  5,  6. 
Thou  art  righteous , 0 Lord,  bccaufe  thou  haft  judged 
thus  ; for  they  have  fhed  the  blood  of  faints  and  prophets 
and  thou  hail  given  then  blood  to  drink  ; for  they  are 
•worthy.  The  tremendous  procefs  of  this  judgment, 
whenever  it  opens,  may,  by  various  procedures  in 
Divina  Providence,  be  Ihortened.  The  quiver  of 
God  is  full  of  arrows.  Yet  as  thefe  nations  perpe- 
trated their  cruelties. by  violence,  as  they  flew  by  the 
fword,  it  is  probable  they  ftoall  perifh  with  the  ficord. 
But,  what  conflicts  ; what  revolutions  ; what  tilings 
of  nations,  who  are  to  be  the  mutual  executioners  of 
this  terrible  fentence,  are  here  implied  ! 

2.  The  Jews  are  to  be  converted.  That  ancient  and 
fmgular  people  have  long  been  difperfed  throughout 
the  world,  without  partaking  in  the  government,  or 
mixing  in  confanguinity  with  any  nation.  For  many 
days , indeed,  they  have  abode  without  a king , and 
without  a prince , without  a facrifce , and  without  an  epbod 
and  teraphini.  Excommunicated  by  their  unbelief, 
wandering  and  forlorn,  they  have  long  been  paying 
the  price  of  precious  blood.  Preferved  by  a particu- 
lar providence,  and  perhaps  as  numerous  as  ever, 
they  continue  monuments  of  the  truth  of  God  in  his 
righteous  threatening?,  and  of  the  feverity  of  his  aw- 
ful juftice.  Bat  bleflings  and  honor  are  in  flore  for 
that  people.  They  are  deilined  to  become  equal 
monuments  of  the  faithfulnefs  of  God  to  his  promif- 
es,  and  of  the  riches  of  his  fovereign  grace.  The  ref- 
idue  of  the  fpirit  is  with  him,  and  he  will  breathe  up- 
on thefe  Jlain , that  they  may  live . God  is  able  to  graff 
them  in  again , and  has  declared  he  will  do  it.  All  If- 
rael  floall  be  faved.  The  Jews  will  affuredly  be  con- 
verted, and  with  raptures  of  faith  and  love,  hail  the 
adorable  Jefus  as  the  true  Meffiah,  their  Lord  and  our 

C 


L is  J 

Lord,  their  King  and  our  King.  To  their  own  land' 
they  will  alfo  again  return,  and  flourifh  there,  not 
under  the  former  theocracy,  which  was  blended  with 
rituals  now  aboliihed,  but  under  a government  a- 
capted  to  their  new  and  exalted  condition.*  The 
Lord  will  rejoice  over  them  to  build  them  up,  and  do 
them  good,  and  fhowers  of  blefllngs  fhall  defcend  up- 
on them.  There  they  will  coriftitute  the  centre,  the 
mod  diftinguifhed  and  dignified  point  to  which  the 
whole  Ghriftian  Church,  throughout  the  world,  will 
ftancl  related.  But  to  effect  all  this,  admitting  the 
miraculous  interpofition  of  divine  grace  and  power, 
what  inftruction,  what  arrangements,  what  affiftance 
from  other  nations,  what  journeyings,  what  concur- 
ring providences  muft  here  combine  ! 

3.  The  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  is  to  be  brought  into 
the  Church.  If  the  cajling  away  of  the  Jews  be  the  re- 
fondling  of  the  world , what  float l the  receiving  of  them  bcY 
but  life  from  the  dead  ? Millions  have  already  been 
gathered  from  the  nations  ; yet  thefe  are  only  the 
firfl  fruit,  an  handful,  compared  to  the  harveft  wh'ch 
Jhall  Jhake  like  Lebanon.  But  what  means  and  ends, 
what  caufes  and  effects,  what  a train  of  events  are 
comprised  in  the  converfion  of  the  world  to  the  o- 
bedience  of  Chrilt  ! What  prejudices  muft  be  con- 
quered, v-hat  old  foundations  razed,  what  new  ftruc- 
tures  erected  ! The  nations  muft  be  i taught  bafore 
they  can  believe  of  will  fubmit.  How  jhall  they  call  on 
him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ? and  how  Jhall  they 
believe 

* God  brought  them  out  of  Egypt  ; he  rcflored  them  from- 
Chaldea  ; and  he  will  again  thfplay  the  riches  of  his  grace,  his 
truth,  and  power,  by  gathering  them,  at  the  appointed  time, 
from  their  wide  diiperlions.  That  the  Lord  thy  God  will  turn 
thy  captivity,  and  have  compcffruj  upon  thee,  and  will  return  and 
gather  thee  from  all  the  nations  whither  the  Lord  thy  God  hath 
/f uttered  thee.  Tf  any  of  thine  he  driven  o,.t  unto  the  utmod  parts  of 
heaven , from  thence  will  the  Lord  thy  God  gather  thee,  and  from 
thence  will  hi  fetch  thee  ; and  the  hard  thy  God  wilt  bring  thee  in- 
to the  land  which  thy  father  . pojfjjed,  and  thou  (halt  pcjfefs  it  ;•  end 
he  will  do  thee  good.  Uuut.  xaX.  ii,  4,  #. 


[ 19  ] 

in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard  ? and  how  fhall  they 
hear  without  a preacher  ? ami  how  JIju/1  they  preach  ex- 
cept they  be  fent  ? It  required  forty  years  to  preach  the 
Gofpei  at  tirft  throughout  the  Roman  Empire  ; and 
it  was  three  hundred  and  twenty  five  years  before 
the  Chriftian  religion  publicly  triumphed  over  Pa- 
gan Idolatry.  Should  the  fame  Divine  Power,  the 
fame  effuGon  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  even  in  a more  am- 
ple meafure,  be  afforded  ; fhould  Pentecoft  feafons 
be  frequently  repeated,  and  the  work  be  cut  Jhort,  ftill 
a number  of  years  muft  neceflarily  elapfe  in  accom- 
plilhing  this  bleffed  purpofe.  Scattered  over  every 
continent  and  illand  between  the  diftant  poles ; many 
of  the  nations  uncivilized,  depreffed  in  lavage  igno- 
rance, and  degraded  in  brutal  manners ; and  every 
carnal  mind,  in  all  the  nations,  at  enmity  againjl  God , 
and  oppofed  to  the  Gofpei  ; what  materials,  what  a 
field,  from  which  to  gather  fo  rich  a harveft ! 

4.  The  dejlruftion  rf  antiahrtj ?,  or  the  fall  of  myfli- 
eal  Babylon,  was  the  lad  thing  mentioned.  This  ad- 
verfary  will  certainly  be  brought  down.  There  lhall 
be  nothing  left  to  hurt  nor  dejlroy  in  all  the  holy  moun- 
tain. Whatever  oppofes  the  interefts  of  true  religion, 
in  the  eftablifhment  of  any  State  or. Church,  will  be 
proftrated.  Ecclefiaftical  dignitaries,  fpiritual  lords, 
and  all  the  pageantry  of  the  hierarchy,  in  its  various 
modifications,  which  have  debafed  the  Gofpei,  and 
metamorphofed  the  kingdom  of  Chrift  to  a kingdom 
of  this  world,  will  be  finally  trampled  in  the  dull, 
and  defpifed  by  Chriftians.  Antichrift  is  to  be  con- 
fumed  by  the  Spirit  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord.  This 
confumption  began  at  the  Reformation,  and  will  in- 
creafe  in  the  fame  degree  in  which  the  everlafting 
Gofpei  is  preached  with  fuccefs.  But  his  final  de- 
ftruction  will  be  by  judgments,  not  of  correction,  but 
of  extermination.  Every  thing  in  that  fyftem  is 
branded  with  perdition.  This  is  the  fatal  mark  which 
God  has  fixed  upon  antichrift.  To  the  expulfion  of 
whatever  offends  within  the  pale  of  the  vifible  Church, 
tnuii  be  annexed  the  removal  of  every  obftacle  which 


[ 20  ] 

has  hitherto  prevented  the  promulgation  and  proiV 
perityofthe  Gofpel.  When  the  principal  enemy, 
who  fixed  his  feat  at  Rome,  is  deftroyed,  the  eaftern 
antichrift  will  alfo  be  demoiifhed.  The  powers 
which  fupport  the  delufion  of  Mahomet,  with  every 
Thing  that  militates  againft  revealed  religion,  and  the 
worfhip  of  God  the  Redeemer,  throughout  the  whule 
earth,  {hall  be  overthrown. 

What  changes  in  the  moral  world,  what  revolu. 
tions  in  the  civil,  are  impending  ! Attend  to  each  of 
the  enumerated  articles  ; efiimate  their  magnitude  ; 
recollect  the  maxims  refpecting  the  procedure  of  Di- 
vine Providence  ; and  then  determine,  whether  two 
hundred  years  are  not  a fhort  fpace  for  the  confum- 
mation  of  fuch  events  ? And,  if  the  exter.five  prop- 
agation of  the  Gofpel  is  to  precede  the  convernon  of 
the  Jews,  the  bringing  in  of  the  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles, 
and  the  deitru&icn  of  antichrift,  fay  whether  we  may 
not  indulge  the  expectation  that  it  will  foon  com- 
mence, if  it  be  not  already  begun  ? We  ct  nclude 
without  hefitation,  that  the  Churches  are  authorifed 
to  hope  that  the  •vifion  Jhall  quickly  /pe  ak.  It  will  fur  e- 
ly  come , it  ’will  riot  tarry. 

W7ith  this  conciufion,  if,  now,  we  compare  exift- 
ing  facts  ; if  we  view  the  miflionary  fpirit  v Inch  has 
fucidenly  pervaded  the  Churches,  and  eftimate  the 
efforts  lately  made,  and  (till  making,  for  the  lending 
the  Gofpel  to  thofe  who  know'  not  the  precious  nan  it* 
of  Jefus,  and  arc  perifliing  in  their  fins  ; do  we  not 
difeover  a linking  relemblance  of  what  the  \ .non  dt- 
feribes  ?—  May  we  not  exclaim,  Behold  the  angel  1 
flis  flight  is  begun  ! 

Here  our  enquiries  might  reft  ; yet  as  this  predic- 
tion may  be  comprifed  alfo  under  the  third  clals  of 
prophecies,  and  receives  additional  light  from  the 
rules  of  explication  refpecting  cocxifting  events,  we 
muft,  in  juflice  to  the  lubjeift,  briefly  attend  to  what 
can  be  obtained  from  that  l'ource.  The  hour  cf  Cod's 
jiulgment^we  have  already  lecn,  is  mentioned  as  the 
•yery  hour  when  the  ar.gel  begins  to  fly.  This  is  a 


[ 21  ] 

part  of  his  proclamation.  Upon  this  his  commifiion 
to  go  forth  is  exprefsly  fandioned.  To  t lie  three 
other  great  events  which  are  to  happen,  the  extenfive 
preaching  of  the  Gofpel  muft,in  * lie  nature  of  things, 
be  antecedent,  as  means  to  effect  thoXe  enejs ; but 
with  the  firft  mentioned  it  is  to  be  coetaneous.  When 
that  begins,  this  will  alfo  commence* 

What  we  are  to  underhand  by  this  judgment  of 
Cod  has  been  explained,  and  we  are  aflured  that, 
foor.er  or  later — but  we  recoil  at  the  expedition,  and 
proceed  with  reludance  upon  a fubjecl  which  excites 
l'uch  fympathy,  fuch  fenlibility,  fo  much  pain.  Yet 
faithfulnefs  renders  it  incumbent  to  lay — We  are  af- 
fured  that,  fooneror  later,  it  will  certainly  be  inflict- 
ed upon  the  nations,  in  their  national  capacity,  who 
are  chargeable  with  the  murder  of  the  faints.  ri  he  jui- 
tice  and  dignity  of  the  moral  government  ; the  ve- 
racity of  God  in  fulfilling  what  he  has  lo  repeatedly 
declared  in  his  word ; a vindication  of  the  intuited 
honor  ot  the  Savior  ; and  his  love  to  his  people  and 
caufe  ; all  confpire  to  render  his  difpenfation  inevita- 
ble. The  debt  mull  be  paid.  The  voice  of  blood 
will  be  heard.  Believers  who  refide  in  thofe  nations, 
and  dread  the  feene,  might  as  well  pray  that  the  Lord 
would  not  be  revealed  in  flaming  fire  to  take  vengeance 
upon  them  that  know  net  God , and  obey  not  the  Gofpel  if 
our  Lord  Jehus  Chrifl  ; or,  that  the  elements  might  be 
preferved  irorn  melting  with  fervent  hiat , and  the 
world  exempted  from  final  conflagration  ; as  to  pray 
that  the  precious  blood  of  the  faints  fliould  not  be  a- 
venged. — The  righteous  may  protect  the  wicked,  and 
in  the  ordinary  procedures  of  Providence,  avert  im? 
pending  cleftruclion  for  a time  ; but  although  Noaht 
Daniel  and  Job  were  there,  when  this  hour  of  retribu- 
tion arrives,  they  could  procure  no  longer  forbear- 
ance. Conformably  to  this,  his  people  are  not  ex- 
horted to  pray  againft  the  approaching  calamity,  but 
to  fubmit  in  faith  and  hope  ; and  when  the  awful 
feafon  (h  ill  arrive,  to  fly  to  their  chambers  and  hide 
themfelves.  Ihey-fliall  be  fafelv  protected.  The 
Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  his  children  ) and 


L 22  ] 

will,  as  when  Jerusalem  was  deftroyed,  provide  fome 
Pella  for  them.  When  he  maketh  inquifition  for  blood , 
he  re'membereth  them : He  forgetteth  not  the  cry  of  the 
humble . 

But  when  will  God  perform  this  Arrange  work  ? 
Ah,  perhaps  it  is  already  begun  !*  What  are  the  lin- 
gular, what  the  defolating  feenes  which  have  opened, 
and  are  ftill  enlarging  in  profpect  ? Why  are  convulf- 
ed  nations  riling  in  a new  and  terrific  form  to  exter- 
minate each  other  ? Are  thefe  the  beginnings  of  for- 
rows  ? Are  thefe  the  lirft  rr\ovements  for  avenging 
the  Savior’s  caufe  ? Is  God  now  coming  out  of  his 
place  to  judge  the  earth , to  judge  that  portion  of  the 
world  which  aflilted  the  beaft  in  flaying  the  witneff- 
es  ? Mull  the  blood,  fo  long  covered  and  forgotten 
by  men,  now  come  in  remembrance  and  be  difclofed  ! 
Mull  this  generation — we  forbear.  Judge  ye.  But, 
be  allured,  that  if  this  work  be  begun,  or  whenever 
it  doth  begin,  at  that  very  hour  the  angel  will  begin 
to  fly.  When  Zion  flngs  of  judgment,  flie  always 
lings  of  mercy. 

Let  this  fuflice.  You  have  attended  to  the  proph- 
ecy, and  eftimated  the  period  of  its  accomplilhment. 
You  have  compared  oxifting  fads  with  the  prediction, 
and  drawn  a concluflon.  Do  you  now  call,  Watchman , 
•what  of  the  night  ? Watchman , what  cf  the  night  ? The 
watchman  faith , the  morning  cometh , and  cfo  the  night. 
Clouds  and  darknefs  ftill  remain,  and  the  gloom  may 
even  thicken  at  its  clofe ; but  the  rifing  dawn  will 
foon  difpel  the  lhades,  and  fliine  more  and  more  unto 
the  perftft  day.  The  morning  cometh! 

FROM  the  numerous  reflections  fuggefted  by  this 
fubjefl,  the  limits  of  our  difeourfe  permit  us  to  felect 
only  a few. 

1.  Iiow  mysterious  are  the  ways  of  God  ! His  way 
is  in  the  fca , his  path  in  the  great  waters , and  his  footjleps 
are  not  known.  The  time  which  elapfed  before  the 
birth  of  the  Mefliah  ; the  narrow  boundaries  within 
.which  the  Church  was  circumfcribed  during  the  dtf- 

* See  Appendix  H. 


C « ] 

penfation  of  the  Old  Tedament  } the  fufferings  which 
overwhelmed  her  immediately  after  the  primitive 
ages  of  Chridianity  ; and  the  fmall  progrefe  of  truth 
and  right eoul'nefs  for  fo  many  centuries  to  the  pref- 
ent  day,  are  all,  to  us,  myfterious  and  inexplicable. 
What  difficulties  hold  us  in  fufpenfe  ! How  many  in 
quiries  arife  ! If  the  everlading  Gofpel  is  to  be  preach- 
*ed  to  the  whole  world,  why  are  the  nations  permit- 
ted to  remain  fo  long  in  ignorance  and  wickednefs  ? 
II  the  heathen  be  given  to  the  Lord  Jefus,  why  doth 
he  delay  to  take  pofleffion  of  them  ? Why  a difcrim- 

ina>;on  ? Why But  0 man,  who  art  thou  that  re- 

plicji  againf  God  ? Shall  the  thing  formed  fay  to  him 
that  formed  it.  Why  haft  thou  made  me  thus  ? Can  any 
fay  unto  him , what  doji  thou  ? Say  rather  0 the  depth  of 
the  riches  both  of  the  wifdom  and  knowledge  of  God  ; how 
unfear  ch  able  are  his  judgments , and  his  ways  pafl  finding 
out  ! Even  fo.  Father,  for  fo  it  feemed  good  in  thy  fight  ! 

Delays  have  tried  the  faith  and  patience  of  th« 
faints  ; and  fcoffers,  feizing  the  occafion,  have  dared 
to  demand.  Where  is  the  promife  of  his  coming  ? But 
darknefs  will  be  fucceeded  by  light,  perplexing  diffi- 
culties all  be  folved,  and  apparent  confufion  terminate 
in  perfect  order.  Zion  {hall  before  long,  ceal’e  to 
complain,  that  her  Lord  hath  forgotten  her  ; and  as  for 
the  wicked,  they  may  fuppreis  their  blaiphemies.- 
The  Lord  is  not  flack  concerning  his  promife.  Behold  the 
day  cometh,  too  foon  for  them,  the  day  cometh  that  jhall 
burn  as  an  oven  ; and  all  the  proud,  yea,  and  all  that  do 
wickedly , fa  all  he  fubble.  God  will  vindicate  his 
ways,  and  difplay  the  harmony  which  has  forever 
Cibdfted  between  his  providence  and  promifes.  The 
period  is  approaching  that  will  abundantly  compen- 
sate for  the  fevered  trials  and  the  longed  delays  ,*  a 
period  when  the  Redeemer’s  kingdom  on  earth  will 
perfectly  correfpond  to  the  fublimeft  defcriptior.s  of 
ks  extent  and  glory.  The  Lord  reigneth,  let  the  earth 
rejoice.  He  will  make  crooked  things  firaighl , and  dark - 
nefs  light.  As  for  God  his  way  is  perfect. 

* See  Appendix  I. 


[ 24  ] 

2.  The  magnitude  of  this  event  next  arrcfls  our 
attention.  Vail  in  its  nature  and  confiequences,  it  in- 
volves renovations  in  the  moral  World  more  extenfive 
and  ftupenduous  than  any  hitherto  experienced  ; it 
implicates  radical  changes  in  the  manners  and  cuftoms 
of  mankind  ; and  even  comprehends  revolutions  in 
the  principles  and  adminiftration  of  ci\il  government* 
which  furpafs  the  power  of  anticipation.  But  vaft 
and  difficult  as  thefe  may  appear,  there  is  nothing  in 
their  rife,  their  progrefs,  or  their  confummation,  that 
implies  a contradiction.  In  the  phyfical  order  of 
things  the  event  is  poffible  ; agreeable  to  the  moral 
fyftem  it  can  be  effected  ; and  it  certainly  is  mod  de- 
firable  and  devoutly  to  be  wifhed.  When  all  nations 
receive  the  Gofpel,  and  become  real  chriftians  ; when 
men  of  every  rank,  from  the  leaji  to  the  greateji , Jhall 
know  the  Lord,  and  devote  themfelves  to  the  fervice  of 
their  Redeemer,  then  all  will  be  happy.  Individuals 
will  be  happy,  fociety  will  be  happy,  and  peace,  joy* 
and  holinefs  prevail  throughout  the  whole  earth. 
This  is  the  manifeftation  for  which  the  world  is  wait- 
ing. The  creation,  groaning  under  the  complicated 
miferies  introduced  by  fin,  will  then  obtain  the  de- 
liverance for  which  it  has  been  fo  long  in  travail. 

Alarmed  at  the  profpect,  infidels  raife  formidable 
objections,  *and,  with  infernal  malignity,  ridicule  the 
hope  of  believers.  All  things , fay  they,  ail  things  con* 
time  as  they  were  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation  ; and 
all  things  will  for  ever  fo  remain.  Nothing  can  pro- 
duce the  mighty  change  you  Chriftians  contemplate* 
You  cherilh  fictions,  chimeras,  and  dreams.  You 
draw  Elyfian  feenes  which  will  never  be  realized* 
What  ! convince  the  ferocious  followers  of  Mahomet 
that  their  prophet  was  an  impoflor,  their  Alcoran  a 
rhapfody  ! Perfuade  the  Chinefe  to  abandon  their  an- 
cient habits  ! Induce  the  myriads  in  India  to  demolifh 
their  pagodas,  and  ereef  temples  to  Jel'us  Chrift  ! 
Curb  the  roving  Tartars  ! Elevate  the  groveling  Af- 
ricans ! Or  tame  the  favage*  of  America  ! How  can 
thefe  things  be  ? Not  by  human  might  or  power , we 
reply.  We  know,  more  than  infidels  can  inform  us, 


C 25*  ] 

of  the  ftupendous  heights  and  horrid  abyffes  ove£ 
which  the  promifo  has  to  pais  f but  none  of  thefe 
things  move  us.  Were  it  to  be  accompliihad  by 
man ; were  the  fubtle  counfels  of  the  wife,  or  the 
nerved  arm  of  the  hero  required  ; the  afflicting  con- 
fequences,  in  their  fulled  latitude,  would  readily  be 
admitted.  But  it  is  the  work  of  God.  This  anfwers 
all  queftions — this  filences  every  cavil.  Is  any  thing 
too  hard  for  him  that  fttctb  upon  ‘he  circle  of  the  earthy 
and  the  inhabitants  thereof  are  as  grafshoppers  ? Are  not 
all  things  poflible  with  him  who  doth  according  to  his 
will  in  the  army  of  heaven  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earthy  and  none  can  flay  his  band?  Has  the  glorified 
Mediator  all  power  given  to  him  in  heaven  and  in 
earth  to  accompli  fli  this  very  event,  and  can  the  faith 
of  his  people  be  chimerical  ? Are  their  hopes  to  be 
ridiculed  ? Great  as  it  may  be,  it  is  not  too  great  for 
him  to  perform.  . Every  valley  fhall  be  exalted , and  ev- 
ery mountain  and  hill  Jhall  be  made  low  ; and  the  crooked 
fhall  be  made  ft r ait ; and  the  rough  places  plain  ; and  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  fhall  be  revealed , and  all  fhfio  fhail  fee 
it  together  ; for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  fpoken  it. 

3.  The  Certainty  of  the  accomplilhment  affords 
a confoling  reflection.  This  is  implied  in  what  has 
already  been  faid  ; but  it  deferves  a more  diftinct  con- 
fideratiori.  Chriuians  are  not  chargeable  with  en- 
thufhfm  when  they  believe  the  promifes  of  God  will 
be  fulfilled.  They  follow  no  cunningly  devifed  fable 
when  they  make  known  the  power  and  coming  of  the 
Lord  Jcfus  Chrifl.  They  fpeak  the  words  of  truth  and 
fobernefsy  when  they  fay,  the  everlafting  Gofpel  will 
be  fuccefsfully  preached  to  all  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth,  and  to  every  nation , and  kindred , and  tongue , and 
people • Always  ready  to  give  a reafon  of  the  hope  that 
is  in  theniy  in  regard  to  their  own  falvation,  they  are 
equally  prepared  to  vindicate  their  expectation  ref- 
pecting  the  enlargement  of  their  Redeemer’s  king- 
dona  iruthe  world. 

Ihe  truth  of  God  is  pledged  to  accomplilh  his 
word.  Nothing  can  poflibly  intervene  to  change  his 


[ 26  A 

plan.  Nothing  can  arife  to  fruftate  his  purpofc.  Ihe 
Lord  has  faithfully  executed  all  he  promifed,  in  the 
proper  feafon,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  -y 
:and  will  he  not  perfect  what  yet  remaineth  r .After 
preferving  his  Church  under  the  wafting  perfec- 
tions’* of  imperial  Rome,  and  the  execrable  fury  of 
Rome  papal  ; after  hiding  her  in  the  wildernef^  and 
nourrfhing  her  fo  Jong  in  her  adveriity  ; will  he  not 
bring  her  forth  to  public  view  in  the  beauties  of  holi- 
nefs,  fair  as  ihe  moon,  ctear  as  ihe  fun , and  terrible  as 
an  army  with  banners  ? As  I live , faith  the  Lord , thou 
fhalt  furely  clothe  thee  with  them  all  as  with  an  ornament , 
and  bind' them  on  thee  as  a bride  doth  : I will  contend  with 
him  that  contendeth  with  thee , and  I will  fave  thy  chil- 
dren : AH  ftcfh  foall  kno-iv  that  I the  Lord  am  thy  Savior 
and  tby  Redeemer , the  mighty  one  of  Jacob. 

It  is  right  and  proper  that  Jefus  Chrift  fhould  reign 
over  the  whole  world,  and  that  all  nations  fhould 
ferve  him.  Is  he  not  worthy,  “ the  Sceptre  of  whofe 
kingdom  is  a Sceptre  of  right  eon  frvefs,  to  be  the  King 
of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords  ?’1'  Is  he  conftituted  the 
licit  of  the  world,  and  fhall  he  not  in  due  feafon,  pof- 
fefs  his  inheritance  ? Hath  he  fhed  his  precious  blood 
upon  this  earth,  and  is  it  not  reasonable  and  fit  that 
the  theatre  of  his  deep  humiliation  fliould  become  al- 
fo  the  theatre  of  his  exalted  authority,  power  and 
grace  ? Has  the  heel  of  the  Savior  been  bruifed  to 
the  uttnoft  extent  of  the  fcntence,  and  will  not  the 
head  oftheferpent  be  broken  in  the  fulleft  import  of 
the  promife  ? — Are  the  children  of  God  inftrucled  to 
plead,  that  his  kingdom  may  come  ; and  will  not 
their  heavenly  rather  anfwer  the  mediant  prayers, 
which  for  many  ages  have  addreffed  his  throne?  “ Shall 
not  God  avenge  his  own  eleift  which  cry  day  and 
night  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with  them  l 
I tell  you  that  he  will  avenge  them  fpeedily.  'i  he 
kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatnefs  of  the 
kindom  under  the  whole  heaven,  fhall  be  given  to 
the  people  of  the  faints  of  the  Moft  High,  whofe 
kingdom  is  an  evcrlafting  kingdom,  and  all  domin- 
* be“  Appanciia  1C, 


[ 27  ] 

ions  (hall  ferve  and  obey  him.  The  kingdom  fluff 
not  be  left  to  other  people,  but  it  Hull  break  in  pie- 
ces  and  confume  all  the  kingdoms,  and  it  lhall  ftand 
forever.  Remove  the  diadem  and  take  off  the  crown. 

I will  overturn,  overturn,  overturn  it,  and  it  lhall  be 
no  more  until  he  come  whoje  right  it  is  ; and  I will 
give  it  to  him.” 

Before  the  M^ffiih  came  his  people  were  wearied 
with  waiting.  Many  conjectures  and  errors  prevail* 
cd  among  the  Jews  in  their  calculations  and  expecta- 
tions. But  feafons,  and  years,  and  ages  revolved  j 
and  changes  and  revolutions  in  the  nations  and  king- 
doms of  the  earth  fucceeiled  ; until  the  fulnefs  of 
time  arrived,  and  then  the  Savior  was  born.  So  a- 
inong  Chriilians  there  may  be  mifapprchenlions  con-  ‘ 
cerning  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  blelliogs  promif- 
ed  to  the  Church  ; erroneous  conclusions  may  be 
formed  refpecting  the  time  when  the  happy  period 
we  contemplate  will  commence  ; but,  in  the  end , the 
vifions  Jhall /peak.  Seafons  and  years,  and  ages  will 
revolve  ; and  changes  and  revolutions  in  the  nations 
and  kingdoms  of  the  earth  lucceed  until  the  day 
dawns,  and  the  day  Jiar  arifes , and  then  the  dominion 
and  glory,  and  kingdom,  Jhall  be  given  to  him,  that  all  peo- 
ple, not  ions  and  languages  Jhall  ferve  him.  Nothing  on 
the  part  of  linners  prevented  his  coming  in  the  ficth; 
and  all  the  ignorance  of  mankind,  the  prejudice  oi 
unbelief,  the  malice  of  infidelity,  and  the  combined 
powers  of  earth  and  hell,  will  not  dely  his  coming, 
with  his  Gofpel  and  Spirit,  agreeably  to  his  promife, 
God  is  not  a man,  that  he  Jhould  lie,  neither  the  fon  of  man, 
that  he  Jhould  repent  : Hath  he  f aid,  and  foall  he  not  do  it  ? 
Or  hath  be  fpoken,  and  floall  he  not  make  it  good  ? I the 
Lord  will  haften  it  in  his  time. 

Come,  let  us  walk  about  Zion,  and  go  round  about  her , 
let  us  tell  the  towers  thereof  and  mark  well  her  bulwarks. 
The  Church,  from  the  beginning,  had  been  greatly 
circuinfcibed,  and  was  ftill  a fmall  fiock  when  our 
Lord  w as  upon  earth.  It  has  continued  comparative- 
ly imall  for  many  centuries,  and  few  have  even  hith- 
erto entered  in  at  the  ffraight  gate,  contrafced  with 


[ 28  3 

the  multitude  who  choofe  the  broad  way  that  Icadeth 
to  dejlrudicn.  But  glorious  things  are  Jpoken  of  the  city 
of  God.  The  interefts  of  religion  {hall  not  always  be 
thus  depreffed.  The  Church  of  Chrift  will  emerge 
from  obl'curity,  and  the  number  of  his  followers  not 
be  frnall.  Nothing  is  more  certain  than  that  God 
has  promifed  a great  enlargement  of  the  kingdom  of 
the  Redeemer  in  this  world,  with  abundant  commu- 
nications of  his  fpirit  and  prefencc.  In  the  nv  .1  une- 
quivocal language  it  is  foretold,  that  ail  people  and 
nations  throughout  the  whole  earth  {hall  be  irftruct- 
ed  in  the  true  religion,  and  brought  into  the  Church 
of  God.  All  dominions  fhall  ferve  and  obey  him.  /Ill 
nations  Jhall  ferve  him.  All  nations  fhall  call  him  bli  jfcd. 
In  him  Jhall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blcffcd.  He  will 
deflroy  the  covering  cafl  over  all  people , and  the  veil  that 
is  fpread  over  all  nations.  All  fejh  Jhall fee  the  falvation 
of  the  Lord.  Unto  him  Jhall  all  fief  come.  ' The  earth  Jhall 
be  full  of  the  knowledge . of  the  Lord , as  the  waters  cover 
the  feas.  In  this  the  promifes  of  the  Old  as  v ell  as  of 
the  New  Teflament  completely  harmonize.  They  all 
eftablifli  the  defirable  fact,  that  a period  will  molt  af- 
furedly  arrive,  when  there  fhall  not  be  one  nation  in 
the  world  which  fhall  not  embrace  the  Chriftian  re- 
ligion. The  nation  and  kingdom  which  fall  not  ferve 
thee  Jhall  perijh , yea , theje  rations  Jhall  be  utterly  waft- 
ed. 

A time  will  therefore  come  when  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth  fhall  univerfally  prevail,  and  hohnefs  fhall 
characterize  the  world  ; a time  when  the  Church 
fhall  be  known  and  acknowledged  to  be  but  one,  a 
dignified  and  excellent  fociety,  connected  in  the  moft 
perfect  order,  and  thinning  in  the  light  of  the  Sun  of 
Righteoufnefs  ; a time  when  the  world  fhall  be  de- 
livered from  the  Evils  and  calamities  under  which  it 
has  fo  long  groaned,  and  the  blcfiings  sof  God  the 
Redeemer  be  upon  all  the  families  of  the  earth. — 
Then  the  wilder  nefs  and  the  Jolit  ary  place  fall  b<f  g/ad9 
and  the  defer t Jhall  rejoice  and  blofom  as  the  rife.  Then 
let  the  wildernejs  and  the  cities  lift  up  their  voices  ; Lt  the 
‘villages , the  inhabitants  of  the  rock  fing  ; let  them  font, 


[ 29  ] 

'from  the  top  of  the  mountains , let  them  give  glory  unto  the 
Lord,  and  declare  his  pra'ife  in  the  ijlands. 

Thefe  promifes  have  not  yet  been  fulfilled.  There 
lias  ne\er  been  any  propagation  of  rue  religion  that 
correfponds  to  the  univerlality  indicated  in  the 
Dromifes.  Where  the  word  and  oia.  inances  have 
been  hitherto  known  and  enjoyed,  their  tdefied  influ- 
ence upon  the  hearts  and  conduct  of  nun  has  not 
been  thus  powerfully  experienced.  And  countlefs 
millions  throughout  the  earth,  have  never  heard  that 
there  is  a Savior. 

To  the  fulfilment  of  thefi?  promifes,  it  is  neceflary 
that  the  Gofpel  be  fent  to  every  nation  in  the  world. 
The  preached  word  is  the  eftablifhed  mean  for  con- 
verting tinners,  and  withoui  the  m*an  the  end  will 
not  be  obtained.  The  preachings  of.  the  r-  f is  unto 
them  which  are  faved  the  power  .of  God.  It  nath 
pleafed  him,  by  the  foolifonefs  of  preatkiCig,  to  fave 
them  that  believe.  If,  therefore,  the  b rulings  ; : '’roil- 
ed, are  to  be  conferred,  there  will  a To  coo/-  a ime 
when  God  will  fend  his>everlafting  GoT  1 :c  every 
people,  tongue  and  kindred  in  the  earth.  This  time, 
we  believe,  is  arrived.  The  prefent  exertions  i me 
Churches,  we  are  perfuaded,  are  the  nrlt  furring', 
the  gradual  beginnings  for  accemplilhirg  that  great 
end. 

Eventful  period  ! A time  replete  with  occurrences 
of  the.higheft  importance  to  the  world  ! Long  lives 
for  many  generations  have  pifled  in  uniform  fuccef- 
fiorv,  and  men  have  grown  old  without  witneiling  a- 
hy  remarkable  deviation  from  thjj  ordinary  courfe  of 
Providence.  But  now  a new  era  is  commencing. 
The  clofe  of.  the  laft,  and  the  opening  of  the  prefent 
century,  exhibit  ftrange  and  a lion  Thing  things.  Prin- 
cipled and  achievements,  revolutions  ana  defighs,  e- 
vents  uncommon  and  portentous,  in  rapid  fucceffion, 
arreft  our  attention.  Each  year,  each  day  is  pregnant 
with  femething  great,  and  all  human  calculations  are 
fet  at  defiance.  The  infidel,  with  his  impious  philo- 
sophy, Hands  aghaft,  and  deititute  of  refourccs,  with 
trembling  forebodings,  wonders  how  and  where  the 


t;  -so  3 

perplexed  fcene  will  end;  whilft  the  Chriftian,  in. 
ftrucled  by  the  word  and  fpirit  of  his  Savior,  calmly 
views  the  turning  of  the  dreadful  wheels,  and  knows 
which  way  they  proceed.  Strengthened  by  divine 
grace  he  hands  undaunted  in  the  mighty  commotion, 
,and  looks  up  rejoicing  that  his  prayers  are  heard,  and 
that  his  redemption  drcrwefh  nigh . 

4.  How  influential  the  motive  fuggefted  by  this  pre- 
diction to  engage  in  ftrenuous  exertions  to  propagate 
the  Gofpel  ! How  forcible  ,the  argument  to  perfevere 
in  the  benevolent  work  ! When  Daniel  uridcrjlood  by 
books  the  number  of  years,  whereof  the  word  of  the  Lord 
fame  to , Jeremiah  the  prophet,  his  attention  was  fixed  ; 
his  affe&ions  were  raifed  ; and  it  operated  as  a mo- 
tive to 'intercede  for  the  accomplifliment  of  the  pro. 
phecy  ; agreeably  to  the  maxim,  that  will  be  inquired 
of  by  the  floufe  of  Ifrael  to  do  it  for  them.-r-The  pi. 
ous  captives  anxioufly  waiting  for  their  reftoration, 
were  no  doubt  mflru&ed  by  Daniel,  and  joined  with 
him  in  fuppiicating  the  throne  of  grace.  The  word 
pafli-d  rapidly  among  the  fcattered  families,  and  they 
gladly  prepared  for  the  impending  change.  It  is  fup. 
poled  that  Daniel,  who,  from  his  former  ftation  at  the 
king’s  court,  might  ealiiy  obtain  accefs  to  Cyrus,  com- 
municated to  that  prince,  with  fuitable  and  fuccefsful 
arguments,  the  part  afiigned  in  prophecy  for  him  to 
fulfil.*  in  this  way  the  prophet  was  inftrumentaf 

* Something  fimihr  to  wji it  is  here  fuggefted  did  a£kunlly 
happen  with  Alexander  the  Great,  to  whom  the  high  prieft 
Jaddus,  Ihowed  the  book  of  the  prophet  Daniel,  and  in  it 
the  prediction  of  the  overthrow  of  the  Perlian  Empire,  by  a 
certain  Grecian  king,  whom  Alexander  interpreted  to  be  him- 
felf.  Plealed  with  this  reflection,  he  offered  to  grant  the  peo- 
ple any  requeft  they  fhouM  delire  of  him  by  thejr  high  prieft.” 
And  as  he  had.dedared  to  Parmenio,  “ he  made  no  doubt  of 
gaining  his  point  in  all  his  undertakings,  to  his  utmoft  wilh,  as 
he  made  war  under  the  direction  of  that  Supreme  lleing,  to 
whom  in  the  per  Ion  of  his  high  prieft,  he  paid  adoration  ” The 
whoie  account  of  this  remarkable  occurrence  is  worthy  of  no- 
tice. It  was  a lingular  interpofition  of  Divine  Providence  in 
favor  of  the  Jews,  while  they  were  under  the  government  and 
protection  of  the  theocracy. — See  Jolephus’s  “ Antiquities  of 
tfic  Jews,”  book  xi.  chap.  8. 


[ 31  J 

rj  Divine  Providence  to  bring  forward  the  comple- 
tion of  the  promife.  He  united  exertions  with  his 
prayers.  He  felt  the  influence  of  the  motive  ; and 
the  grace  which  was  bellowed  upon  him  was  not  in 
vain. 

In  like  manner,  let  Chriftians  now  be  wife,  and 
receive  inflruction.  Te,  Brethren,  are  not  in  darknefs 
that  that  day  Jhould  overtake  you  as  a thief.  Te  are  all  the 
children  of  light,  and  the  children  of  the  day  ; we  are  not 
of  the  night  nor  of  darknefs , therefore  let  us  not  fleep  as 
do  others , but  let  us  watch  and  be  fober. — It  is  time  for 
the  wife  virgins  who  have  Ilumbered  to  arife  and 
trim  their  lamps.  The  cry  is  made,  behold , the 
Bridegroom  cometh  1 He  cometh  to  fend  his  Gofpel  a- 
broad,  and  blefs  the  world  with  his  truth  and  right- 
eoulnefs. 

It  is  an  honor  to  be  employed  in  the  fervice  of  the 
Redeemer.  I had  rather  be  a door  keeper  in  the  houfe 
of  my  God , them  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickednefs.  It 
h a privilege  to  be  laborers  together  with  God. — It  is 
a pleafant  work,  to  go  up  to  the  mountain  and  bring 
wood  and  build  the  houfe,  when  we  are  convinced 
the  time  is  come,  and  the  Lord  faith,  ht  will  take 
flea  fare  in  it,  and  will  be  glorified. 

Every  motive  which  {Emulates  to  vigorous  efforts 
in  propagating  the  Gofpel,  derives  additional  force 
and  energy  from  this  word  of  prophecy.  Is  the 
glory  of  God  an  impreffive  argument  ? Attend 
to  the  prediction  before  us,  and  be  encouraged 
to  hope,  that  God,  who  hath  glorified  his  holy 
name,  will  foon  glorify  it  again.  He  will  make 
himfelf  known  throughout  the  whole  earth,  nGt 
only  in  his  divine  perfections,  as  the  one  only 
true  God,  but  in  the  adorable  manner  of  his  exig- 
ence, as  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghoft,  and  will  be  wor- 
fhipped  every  where  in  the  bleffed  relation  of  Re- 
deemer as  well  as  Creator.  Doth  the  love  of  Chrift 
conftrain  ? Have  you  crowned  him  with  your  hom- 
age ; and  often  grieved  at  the  contempt  caff  upqn 
his  precious  name  and  caufe  ? See  what  is  doing  in  the 
Churches  ! To  him  every  knee  will  bow  j The  Mo/i 


[ *2  1 

Mighty  is  girding  his  fword  upon  his  thigh  ; the  arm  cf 
fire  Lord  will  awake  as  in  the  ancient  days , in  the  genera- 
tions of  old  ; and  tire  people  J hall  fall  under  him.  His 
name  Jhall  endure  forever.  Are  you  affected  with  the 
deplorable  condition  of  the  greateft  part  of  the 
world,  which  lieth  in  ignorance  and  wickednefs  ? Be- 
hold the  everlafting  Gofpel  is  going  foth  to  every 
tongue,  and  kindred,  and  nation,  and  {hall  univerfally 
prevail.  Yet  a little  while,  and  the  people  that  walk 
in  darknefs  wifi  ice  a great  light,  and  upon  them  that 
dwell  in  the.  land  of  the  Ihadow  of  death  will  the 
light  fliine.  All  the  precepts  which  are  our  warrant 
to  engage  in  this-  work  ; all  the  promiles  which 
are  our  encouragement  to  perfevere  with  firmnefs,  re- 
ceive new  weight  and  influence.  While  we  are  muf- 
ing  upon  the  prediction  before  us,  our  hearts  are  hot 
within  us  ; the  fire  burns  ; zeal  kindies  to  a flame  ; 
we  glow  with  ardor  to  perform  our  part,  and  aflill 
the  flight  of  .he  preaching  angel.  'We  live  to  fee  the 
dawb  ; we  long  to  lee  the  day.  We  winds  at  leaft  the 
beginnings  of  what  many  prophets  and  righteous  men 
have  , defil  ed  to  fee,  and  have  not  leen  them.  For 
thofe  of  us  who  are  advanced  in  year*,  let  this  fuflice. 
We  now  can  depart  in  peace.  We  {hall  hear  of  the 
accomplishment  and  join  with  thofe  who  rejoice  in 
heaven,  over  finners  who  are  converted.  But  you, 
my  younger  Brethren  indulge  the  pleafant  view,  and 
enter  with  vigor  into  the  labors  before  you.  Lift  up 
your  eyes  and  look  on  the  fields , for  they  arc  white  already 
to  harveft.  Go  on  and  profper  in  your  work.  De- 
rive wifdom,  ftrength  and  grace  from  your  exalted 
Jefus.  Be  of  good  courage,  and  behave  valiantly. 
Watch  ye,  hand  {afl  in  the  faith,  quil  ye  like  men, 
be  ftrong.  The  Lord  will  go  before  you,  and  the 
God  of  ifrael  will  be  your  reward.” 

5.  Let  Missionary  Societies  afeend  the  prophetic 
mount,  and  enjoy  the  vaft  profpect  laid  open  to  their 
view.  Let  them  appreciate  as  they  ought,  the  eminent 
flat  ion  afligned  them  by  their  Savior,  and  obtain  grace 
to  be  found  faithful.  They  are  employed  by  him  in 


[ 33  ] 

(he  midd  of  the  Churches,  to  accomplifh  his  blefled 
purpofes,  and  fuliil  his  word.  By  their  agency 
the  preaching  angel  commences  his  flight,  and 
through  their  inftruinentaliry  the  treafure  of  the  Gof- 
pcl  will  be  brought  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  By 
fach  allocutions  and  efforts  it*  might  be  expe&ed  the 
fcene  would  open.  A 'of  by  night  nor  bv  power , not 
from  carnal  policy,  or  by  the  combination  andl'upport 
of  civil  rulers,  but  by  the  fpirit  of  the  Lord,  exciting 
his  minifters  and  people,  from  the  pureft  principles, 
to  execute  the  myftery  of  his  will.  The  hearts  of  all 
men  are  in  his  hand.  He  can  gird  and  council  thofe 
vhom  he  honors  with  his  fervice,  to  perform  any 
tiling  he  pleafeth.  Miflionary  Societies  are,  therefore, 
to  be  confldered  as  miniftering  fervants  employed  in 
a work  well  pleating  to  God  ; and  deferving,  while 
they  faithfully  perfevere,  the  efteem  and  aflecfion  of 
all  good  men. 

Be  not  difcouraged  my  Brethren,  when  you  enquire, 
whom  (hall  we  fend,  and  who  will  go  for  us  ? The 
Lord  can  provide  inftruments  for  his  own  work. — 
t:  Pray,  ye,  therefore,  the  Lord  of  the  harvefl,  that 
he  wiil  fend  forth  laborors  into  his  harvefl.”  He  will 
hear  your  prayers,  and  raife  up  miflionaries.  But  with 
your  prayers  unite  the  means  for  obtaining  fuitable 
characters.  Reflect  ferioufly  whether  it  would  not  be 
advifeable  to  inftitute  a Theological  School,  for  the 
exprefs  purpofe  of  inflructing  and  preparing  picus 
vounn;  men  for  this  arduous  fervice* — whether  fucb 
an  inftiturion  would  not  probably  ftimulate  fome  to 
offer  themielves ; and  certainly  produce  the  higheft 

* Similar  inftitutions  were  formed  even  by  the  Roman  pon- 
tiffs ; and  afterwards  in  Holland,  the  Reformed  Church  paid  at- 
tention to  this  object.  Some  profeiTors  of  theology  were  emi- 
nently ufeful  in  preparing  miflionaries  for  foreign  parts,  efpe- 
cialiy  for  the  Indies.  In  Rotterdam  there  is  now  1'omething  of 
this  kind,  to  which  many  of  thofe  who  are  lent  out  by  the  Neth- 
eriand  Miflionary  Society  now  repair,  for  one  or  two  years,  pre- 
vious to  their  millions.  Alfo  at  Gofport,  in  England,  under  the 
dire&ion  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bogue, 

, L 


[ 54  3 

affurance,  that  the  angels  who  go  out  from  the  nudft 
of  the  Churches  are  well  eftabliflied  in  the  truth,  and 
will  carry  the  everlafting  Gofpel  in  its  purity  abroad. 
If  this  be  acceptable  to  the  Lord,  he  will  incline  the 
hearts  of  his  people  to  aiiift  you.  The  earth  alfo  {hall 
help  the  woman.  To  accomplifh  this  meafure,  the  ref- 
pective  focieties  in  America  might  correfpond  upon 
the  fubject,  and,  after  due  confultation,  mutually  a- 
dopt  fuch  plans  as  might  be  judged  the  molt  practica- 
ble and  beft  calculated  to  anfwer  the  important  object 
in  view.  To  him  that  knoweth  to  do  good , and  doth  it  noty 
to  him  it  is  fin.  The  King’s  hvfinefs  requireth  hafe. 

We,  my  Brethren,  were  not  the  firft  who  engaged 
in  this  benevolent  defign  ; but  we  Hand  foremoft  in 
our  opportunities  for  ufefulnefs  and  accefs  to  the  hea- 
then. Our  Brethren  in  Europe  have  achieved  great 
things.  Involved  in  complicated  troubles,  and  the 
field  of  their  labors  at  an  immenfe  diftance  from  them, 
they  have  notwithftanding,  formed  noble  defigns,  and 
executed  them  with  aftonifhing  promptitude  and 
fuccefs.  Our  fituation  is  happily  the  reverfe.  We 
enjoy  tranquillity  and  reft.  There  is  not  a nation  at 
prcfent  on  earth  permitted  to  threaten  qr  difturb  our 
repole.  Our  borders  are  extenfively  enlarged  ; and 
the  heathen  to  whom  the  Gofpel,  in  the  firft  irrftance 
is  to  be  lent,  are  near  at  hand.  Already  we  have 
found  a door  of  entiance  opened,  and  the  neighbor- 
ing tribes  are  becoming  friendly  to  millions  : They 

ftrotch  out  the  imploring  hand  ; they  cry  with  af- 
fecting importunity,  Come  over  and  help  us  ! This  is 
not  merely  the  language  of  their  real  neceflity  ; it  has 
been  expreffed  by  their  chiefs,  with  an  earneftnefs  and 
folcmnity  which  evinced  their  efteern  for  the  Gof- 
pel. Should  fuccels  not  always  attend  your  efforts, 
be  not,  my  Brethren,  difeouraged.  Wait  patiently 
for  the  precious  fruit  The  apoftles  themfelves  were 
not  always  profperous  In  every  place  ; nor  did  the- 
feed  fown  immediately  fpring  up.  Only  be  faithful  ; 
look  to  your  divine  Mailer  for  direction,  depend  up- 
on  his  grace,  and  leave  the  iffuo  to  him.  Be  allured 
your  laW  fhall  not  be  in  vain.  “ Believe  in  the 


C 35  ] 

Lord  your  God,  fb  (hall  ye  be  eftablillied  ; believe  his 
prophets,  fo  (hall  ye  profper.” 

But  recollect  the  work  in  which  we  are  engaged 
involves  great  and  unavoidable  expeufes.  The  main- 
taining of  midionaries  *,  the  erecting  and  fupporting 
ichools  among  the  lavages  ; and  many  necenary  con- 
tingent charges,  amount  td  a confiderable  fum. 
Without  any  fund  prepared  for  thcfe  puvpofes,  we 
depend  chiefly  upon  the  contribution  of  members, 
and  the  collections  made  at  our  monthly  and  anniver- 
fary  meetings.  It  is  incumbent,  therefore,  upon  me, 
to  remind  you  of  this  before  we  clofe.  To  attain  the 
end  we  mult  attend  to  the  means. 

Every  motive  which  urges  to  propagate  the  Gof- 
pel  is  an  argument  to  excite  to  extenlive  liberality. 
The  heathen,  in  whofe  behalf  I folicit  your  benevo- 
lence, are  poor  ; in  every  fenfe  of  the  word,  they  are 
poor  indeed.  In  what  way  can  charity  be  better  be- 
llowed ? To  what  higher  purpofe  can  you  employ  your 
property  ? What  object  fo  affecting  to  a iympathif- 
ing  heart  ? What  defign  fo  interefting  to  an  inform- 
ed and  pious  mind  ? It  is  a branch  of  that  love 
which  is  due  to  your  neighbor  ; it  is  an  expreflion  of 
that  homage  you  owe  your  Redeemer.  To  h if 
you  have  experienced  the  power  of  divine  grace,  you 
have  devoted  your  perfons  and  all  you  poliefs.  The 
filver  is  his , and  the  gold  is  his.  To  promote  his  gra- 
cious defigns  of  reftoring  peace,  holinefs  and  happinefs 
to  a miferable  world,  let  all  that  be  round  about  him 
brin%  prefents  unto  him  that  ought  to  be  feared. 

When  Chriftians  of  every  denomination  lhall  ob- 
tain more  information  upon  the  fubjeCt  of  mi ’.ions, 
and  rightly  eflimate  the  importance  of  the  work,  they 
will  conlider  it  a duty  and  privilege  to  become  mem- 
bers, of  focieties  formed  upon  principles  fo  difintereft- 
ed  and  excellent.*  Where  fuch  focieties  exift,  they 
will  gladly  join  them  ; and  in  diftricts  where  none 
have  yet  been  eftablifhed,  they  will  heartily  unite  to 
form  iimilar  inftitutions.  None  were  ever  injured 
by  fetving  the  divine  Redeemer.  The  Churches 
* See  Appendix  L. 


< 


C 36  ] 

which  exert  themfelves  to  fend  his  Gofpel  to  tiie  per. 
ifhing  heathen,  may  hope  to  fee  his  power  and  glory  hi 
the  ancillary , as  the  gracious  fruit  of  their  prayers  and 
labors. 

When  Chriftians  learn  to  compare  the  providence 
of  God  with  the  word  of  his  prophecy,  and  fee  the 
completion  of  the  promifes  approaching,  they  ■will 
gladly  open  their  treafures , and prefent  their  gifts  unto  Je- 
lus.  When  they  believe  that  his  voice,  which  Jhook 
the  earth , will  once  more  not  fake  the  earth  only , but  al- 
fo  the  heaven  ; that  the  world  and  the  Church  may  be 
prepared,  in  its  fulieit  extent,  to  receive  a kingdom 
which  cannot  be  moved  ; they  will  not  rejije  nor  turn  a- 
way  from  him  that fpeaketh  from  heaven  ; they  will  tf- 
teem  Zion  their  chief  joy,  and  favor  the  duji  thereof — 
He  that  hath  an  ear , let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  faith 
unto  the  Churches . 

And  now,  my  Brethren,  defpife  not  the  day  of  fnall 
things  ; complain  not  that  you  have  labored  in  vain , and 
fpent  your  frength for  nought  ; for  yet  a little  while,  and 
you  or  your  children  lhall  fee,  and  hear  of  greater 
things  than  thefe.  The  Lord  will  few  thee  great  and 
mighty  things  which  thou  hnowcfl  net.  The  voice  of  the 
trumpet  will  found  long , and  wax  louder  and  louder. 
You  will  hear  of  judgments  which  (hall  make  the  ears 
to  tingle  ; and  of  mercies  you  will  alfo  hear  ; for  from 
the  uttermof  parts  cf  the  earth  wc  fall  hear  Jongs , even 
glory  to  the  righteous. 

The  Church  of  Chrift,  we  trull,  hath  furvived  her 
word  days  ;*  or  if  conflicts  lharp  and  fevere  Ihould 
{till  be  in  referve,  we  may  afiurcdly  ccnfidcr  the  pref- 
ent jefforts  to  propagate  the  Gofpel  as  a precious  token 
for  good.  It  is  an  earned  of  the  revival  of  religion  at 
home,  and  a pledge  of  fai ration  to  pcridiing  heathen 
abroad.  Who  that  fympathizes  with  the  miferics  of 
the  human  family,  can  fail  to  rejoice  in  obferving  the 
people  of  the  Lord,  of  different  denominations  unit- 
ing their  counfels  and  exertions  in  this  benevolent 
work  ! Who  that  can  ellimate  theneceftity  and  excel- 
lence of  the  doctrines  of  grace,  will  not  view  with 
,*  See  Appendix  Ml 


r 37  2 

raptures  of  gratitude  and  praifc  an  ^ ‘ . 

nod,  when  the  ie;nonnt  w;n  u •’  V?  aPPrraching  pc. 
"S*ned,  and  >he ro Hon  «*  vfci£ 

verially  prevail ! Wi.l  Su.  ind 1-  ^ Ma°  uni. 
too  fangu,ne,  or  anticipatin' l rS? 
cJ  lories  of  f'uccefles,  in  uhfch  "fld  and  “nmtcrrupt. 
agaments  will  internofr  w,.  , " deIa>'s  or  difcour- 
luil  accomplilhment^r  Drnn  r C0I,fid™«  lw  the 

S ™*  Gos’pA  Plrtidpite 

)"S fia.  w,faSlfel7r behola  » exin. 

Aa*yW  t/je  everla/li^r  ft ,n  the  midJl  of 

^njtbe  “"  *» 

ratfed  affections  we  cordialiv  hid  / 'n  ,Pra)’crs  and 
welcome  mcfenger  of  ^od  fPecd-  Go, 

able  treafure  * Lry  nJlZ  ^ T’  .**"  the  invalu- 
&nd p;op!c,  Proclaim  T ^ ’ klndred>  and  tor>zuc 
bls  figment  is  come  ; cry  aloud'  fa™  that  tbe  bour  °f 
whole  world  lhall  learn  lo  fear  rfd?  ^ UntiI  the 

•nd  ^ as  their  Cke  vroa’  and^R^  ^ 

d R£D££^r 


APPENDIX. 


The>e  nre  facts fated  in  the  preceding  Difcourfe  which  require  con- 
firmation. Jo  prevent  disfiguring  the  page  with  protracted 
notes , an  Appendix  is  added.  It  was  affected — that  an  extra - 
Jive  promulgation  of  the  Gofpel  had  not  until  lately  been  Jerioufiy 
attempted — that  the  prefent  views  and  efforts  conditute  a difiin - 
guifhed  epoch  in  the  hijhry  of  the  Church — that  the  vificn.  Rev. 
xiv.  1 — 5,  refers  to  the  Information — and,  that  the  latejl  date 
which  can  be  determined  for  the  fall  of  tnydical  Babylon  fixes 
that  extent  previous  to  ihe  year  2008.  Under  the  indulgence  of 
on  Appendix , fome  obfervations,  not  nccejfi  yily  attached  to  the 
Jdjcoufe,  but  which  may  ferve  to  ilhjlrate  it,  are  afo  annexed. 


A 


former  M ijfions. 

THE  antichrifljan  fpirit  invaded  the  Church  at  an  early  pe- 
riod. In  the  days  of  the  A potties  the  snyfiery  of  wiquity  already 
worked.  When  the  good  feed  was  Town,  the  enemy  a lfo  fow- 
cd  tares  •,  and  it  pleafed  the  Lord  of  the  harveft,  in  Ids  un- 
fetrohable  wifdom,  to  fuff'er  them  both  to  grow  up  together.  In 
the  fame  degree  that  error  and  pride  prevailed,  the  primitive 
ardor  for  propagating  the  Gofpel  declined.  After  the  influ- 
ence and  power  of  antichrift  were  matured,  and  his  reign  had 
fully  commenced,  nothing  worthy  of  notice  upon  the  fubjefi 
of  miflions  occurs  in  eccleliaftical  hiffory  for  many  ages. 

In  the  thirteenth  century  miflionaries  were  fent  by  the  Ro-I 
man  Pontil  fs  into  China  and  Tartary.  In  1 33ft  new  legates! 
were  defpatched  into  thofe  countries,  in  confequence  of  an  ein-l 
bafTy  from  the  Kan  of  the  Tartars.  The  wars  afterwards  wag-1 
ed  by  the  Tartars  again'!  the  Chinefe  and  other  Afiatic  nations! 
in  the  conclufion  of  the  fourteenth  century,  nearly  cxtinguilhf 
eJ  the  Ropifh  millions  and  faith  there. 

Towards  rhe  end  of  the  fifteenth  century^  the  Portugnefcl 
who  cultivated  with  fuccefs  the  art  of  navigation,  penei-atcd  :[ 
far  as  Ethiopia  and  the  Indies,  and  tranfported  the  religion  c[ 


C 39  ] 


Rome  to  their  new  fettlements.  About  the  fame  time  the  ifl- 
nnds  of  Ilifpaniola,  Cuba,  and  Jamaica,  together  with  the  con- 
tinent of  America,  were  difcovered.  The  Spaniards  and  Por- 
tutjuefe,  who  had  an  immediate  intered  in  the  difcoveiies,  fent 
mitfionarics  to  propagate  the  Roman  faith  among  the  unenlight- 
ened American  natives  ! and  their  labors,  blended  with  the  civ- 
il authority,  and  fupported  by  military  force,  were  reprefented 
as  very  fuccefsful. 

In  the  fixteenth  century,  when  the  pontiffs  faw  their  ambi- 
tion checked  bv  the  progrefs  of  the  Reformation  in  Europe, 
they  turned  their  attention  more  pointedly  towards  other  parts 
of  the  world,  and  became  more  folicitous  than  ever  to  propa- 
gate the  Roman  faith.  The  famous  fociet  f of  the  Jefuits  was 
devoted  to  the  Court  of  Rome  in  the  execution  of  this  defign. 
A number  of  their  order  held  themfelves  in  condant  readinefs 
to  repair  to  any  part  of  the  world  that  might  be  def.gnated  as 
the  feene  of  their  exertions.  The  mod  didinguifhed  of  thcle 
miffionaries  was  Francis  Xavier,  who  propagated  the  Pcnifn 
religion  with  amazing  fuccefs  in  India  and  Japan.  After  his 
death  other  members  of  this  infmuating  order  penetrated  into 
China,  and  edabliflied  feveral  churches  in  fubjeftion  to  the 
Roman  See. 

During  the  feventeenth  century  more  vigorous  and  fyflemat- 
ical  meafures  were  adopted.  In  the  year  1622  the  Congregation 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  was  indituted,  and  enriched 
with  ample  revenues.  It  confided  of  thirteen  cardinals,  two 
prieds,  one  monk,  and  a fecretary.  To  this  celebrated  eftab- 
lifhment  another  ;was  added  in  1627,  under  the  denomination 
of  a College  or  Seminary  for  the  Propagation  cf  the  Faith.  The 
principal  objefl  of  this  inditution  was  to  educate  thofe  who 
were  to  be  employed  in  foreign  miffions.  Similar  edablifh- 
ments  were  alfo  formed  in  France.  In  the  year  1663,  the  Con- 
gregation of  Priefs  cf  the  Foreign  Mijftor. rr  was  inftitutec}  bv 
Royal  authority  ; and  alfo  another,  entitled  the  Pariftan  Semi- 
inary  for  MiJJions  abroad.  From  thefe  focieties  and  ir.ditutions 
tnany  were  fent  forth  to  different  parts  of  Afia. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  Jefuits  were 
particularly  fuccefsful  in  the  Ead  Indies,  dfjiecially  in  the 
kingdoms  of  Carnate,  Madura,  and  Marav2,  on  the  coad  of 
Malabar,  in  the  kingdom  of  Tonquin,  and  the  Chinefe  em- 
v pire.  In  all  thole  regions,  their  numerous  profflytes,  like 
thofe  among  the  natives  of  Mexico,  Peru,  and  Brazil,  became 
profeffed  Papids,  but  received  little  or  no  indruction  in  the 
principles  of  true  and  undefiled  religion.  They  were  called 
Converts,  but  did  not,  perhaps,  deferve  the  name  of  Cburib 


£ 40  5 

'/he  Protestants  have  not  been  altogether  unmindful  of 
this  important  duty.  In  the  year  1.55  fourteen  Proteltaut 
m flionaries  .are  faid  to  have  been  fent  from  Geneva  to  propa- 
gate the  Chriftian  religion  among  the  A&ericans;  but  it  is  not 
known  who  was  the  immediate  promoter  of  this  pious  dcfign, 
or  with  what  fuccefs  it  was  carried  into  execution.  The  Eng- 
lilh  and  Dutch,  towards  the  conclufion  of  the  fame  century,  and 
the  beginning  of  the  next,  fent  colonies  into  the  northern  parts 
of  America,  and  with  them  tranlplanted  the  Reformed  Relig- 
ion which  t hey  profefTed.  About  the  fame  time  the  Swedes 
were  zealoufly  employed  in  converting  to  Chritiianity  many  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Finland  and  Lapland. 

In  the  feventeenth  century  fome  Proteftant  millions  were  in- 
ftituted.  The  propagation  of  the  gofpel  in  foreign  parts  was, 
by  an  act  of  the  Engiifh  Parliament,  in  1647,  committed  to 
the  care  and  infpettion  of  a fociety  compofed  of  perions  of  dif- 
tin«uifhed  rank.  In  the  year  1701  this  fociety  recived  lingu- 
lar marks  of  protection  and  favor  from  King  William  III.  who 
enriched  it  with  new  donations  and  privileges  : Cut  it  has  not 
proved  fo  eminently  ufeful  in  facilitating  the  means  of  inftruc- 
tion  to  the  heathen,  or  fending  the  Gofpel  where  before  it  was 
not  preached,  as,  from  its  ample  means  and  munificent  patron- 
age, might  have  been  expected. 

During  the  eighteenth  century  nothing  fingular  or  diftin- 
guifhmg  occurred  until  its  cl«Twg  period.  I he  Danifh  mif- 
hons,  planned  by  Frederick  IV.  for  the  converfion  of  the  In- 
dians on  the  coal!  of  Malabar,  was  pious  and  prudent,  and  has 
been  attended  with  fume  luccefs. 

The  Dutch  propagated  the  Reformed  Religion,  an  1 planted 
churches,  in  their  new  fettlements,  in  the  Ealt  Indies,  and  at 
the  Cape  of  Good  H pe.  In  1621  a church  was  formed  at 
I’uavia,  from  whence  minifters  vifited  Ceylon,  Amboyna, 
Malabar,  MacafTar,  Mallucca,  Banda,  and  Ternaie,  and  organ- 
ised feveral  congregations  j as  alio  in  the  ifltnds  of  Sumatra  and 
Java.  The  celebrated  I'rofeflbr  Walleus,  at  Leyden,  educated 
a number  of  inlnifters  and  fubordinatc  teachers  for  the  milfion- 
ary  fervice  in  the  Fla  ft  ; and  from  that  time  the  Dutch  Church- 
es there  appear,  from  their  annual  reports  to  the  Church  in 
Holland,  to  have  had  ^onfiderable  fuccefs.  New  congrega- 
tions have  been  conftituted,  and  a great  number  of  lchools  e- 
reefted  among  the  natives  of  Forutofa,  Columba,  limorr  and 
upon  the  Coromandel  coaft.  In  1771  a tranflation  of  the  Ei- 
hle  was  begun  in  what  was  called  the  Singaleefe  tongue,  and 
fanguine  hopes  were  entertained  of  a more  extenfire  pnpaga- 
tiou  of  the  Gofpel  among  the  numerous  nations  who  under- 
hand that  language.  But  after  all,  thefe  exertions  for  convert 
log  the  heathen  have  not  been  fupported  with  the  zeal  ami 


C 41 


"I 

J 


aerfeverance  due  to  fo  great  an  objetfl  The  pious  members  of 
ch?  Dutch  Churches  in  Europe  have  long  lamented,  that  while 
their  narion  imported  the  fragrant  (pices  of  the  Indies,  and  en- 
rich It'icm  e! ves  with  the  trealures  of  the  Eaft,they  neglected 
to  lpraad  the  ftveet  odor  of  the  Saviour’s  name,  and  fend  to  the 
pagan  nations  the  richer  treafures  of  the  everlafling  Golpel. 

The  tjnijed  {Brethren , commonly  called  Moravian  who 
have  revive  1 the  name  an  i character  of  the  ancient  Umtas 
Frntrurn,  appear,  in  their  diitinguifhed  exertions  for  promulgat- 
ing the  religion  of  Jefus,  to  be  the  only  denomination  of  Chrif- 
tians  who  are  a<5hi  *.ted  bv  the  primitive  fpirit  of  the  Gofpel. 
Eminent  in  meekneft  and  inJuftry,  and  void  of  ollentation* 
they  have  been  but  little  known,  and  much  milreprefented  — 
Li  proportion  to  their  numners  and  abilities,  they  have  from 
their  firft  formation  as  a fociety,  which  is  about  eighty  yen's 
ago,  exceeded  all  others  in  their  arduous,  extenfive,  anefufe- 
ful  labors.  In  17S‘J  they  began  the  eftab’.ifhment  of  a million 
in  the  Daniih  Weft  India  iflmds.  In  1733  they  lent  milfion- 
aries  to  Greenland.  The  lituation  of  their  community  oblig- 
ing‘them  to  attempt  frequent  emigrations,  they  were  inclined 
to  make  fettlements,  where  favorable  opportunities  occurred, 
to  communicate  the  knowledge  of  the  Gofpel  to  the  heathen. 
In  1735  a number  of  families  from  Hernkut,  a place  belong- 
ing to  Count  Zinzendorf,  in  Upper  Lufatia,  emigrated  to 
Georgia,  in  America.  Being  averfe  to  war,  and  ordered  to 
bear  arms  againft  the  neighboring  Spaniards,  they  removed 
from  Savannah,  where  they  had  fettled,  to  Pennfylvania,  in 
174-0,  and  formed  the  eftablifhnents  they  now  polTefs  at 
Bethleham  and  Nazareth.  Thefe  fettlers  foon  perceived  the 
dildrelTed  Iruacion  of  the  Indian  natives,  and  reprelented  their 
deplorable  cafe  to  the  brethren  at  Hernhut.  Twelve  miffion- 
aries  immediately  came  over  from  Germany,  and  labored  with 
various  fuccefs  among  the  heathen.  Tbev  had  formed  three 
fiourilliiog  lettlements  on  the  river  Mulkingum  before  the  late 
revolutionary  war,  during  which  thole  places  were  deftroyed, 
and  the  inhabitants  partly  murdered  and  partly  dilperfed.  A 
number  of  Chriltian  Indins,  who  had  fled  to  Upper  Canada,  re- 
turned in  17:18,'  to  take  po.Telfion  of  their  former  lettle- 
meots  on  the  Mulkingum,  which  have  been  fince  fecured  to 
them  by  the  U.  States  ; and  they  have  built  a new  to  »n,  called 
C fJj  'n.  In  1 736  a miilionary  eftabiifhment  was  begun  at  Bavi- 
tm’s  Kloof,  near  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in  Africa  •, — 1738,  in 
•South  America  •, — 1754,  in  Jamaica  ; — 17.56,  in  Antigua  ; — 
1760,  in  the  Eaft  Indies,  near  Tranquebar  ; — 1764,  on  the 
coafl  oi  Labrador,  in  America  ; — 1765,  in  Barbadoes  ; — 
and  the  Lme  year,  in  the  Ruffian  part  of  Afia,  Surepta  was 
built,  chiefly  with  a view  to  bring  the  Gofpel  to  the  Calmuck 
Tarui'j  -> — 17  75,  in  St.  Kitts  -,—1789,  in  Tobago.  F 


L 42  j 

How  juft  the  fentiments  exprefl'rd  in  ar.  addrefs  “ npoir 
the  probable  fuccefs  of  a proper  million  to  the  South  Sta  ifl- 
ands,”  publilhed  in  London  in  1795  ! “ When  I lee  our  Mo- 
ravian brethren  hazarding  their  lives,  and  biefiTed  in  their  la- 
bors among  the  frozen  mountains  of  Greenland,  and  feeding 
on  whale’s  defii,  to  carry  the  Goipel  into  the  hut  o f the  lavage 
Efkimaux  ; when  1 follow  them  in  their  travels  to  Mount 
Caucafus,  on  the  one  hand,  or  mark  them  purfuing  the  wan- 
dering tribes  of  American  Indians  in  their  various  migrations, 
and  even  reconciling  theinfelves  to  the  cabin  of  a filthy  Hot- 
tentot, in  order  to  make  them  know  the  power  of  Jcfus’s  blood  ; 
1 bow  before  fuch  ardent  zeal,  and  feel  the  {harp  rebuke  of  my 
own  lukewarmnefs.  I reverence  their  miliionaries,  and  love 
the  people  that  thus  love  the  fouls  of  men,  for  the  lake  of 
him  who  loved  us  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  crois.”* 
From  this  fiiort  Iketch  of  former  mifllonary  exertions,  it 
appears  that  focnething  has  been  undertaken  by  the  Roman 
pontiffs,  and  a’fo  by  the  Proteftant  churches.  But  their  efforts 
have  been  fo  partial  and  feeble,  that  they  feem  to  be  the  de- 
lign  of  party,  or  the  mere  palliation  of  an  accufing  con- 
fidence, rather  than  an  earneft  and  vigorous  intention  of  profe- 
cuting  the  benevolent  work,  or  obtaining  the  profefled  end. — 
They  juftify  the  decl  iration,  that  an  extenfiVe  promulgation  of 
the  Gofpel  had  not  been  lei  ioufly  attempted  ! nothing  lince 
the  primitive  days  of  Chriltianity,  deferving  the  name,  had 
appeared!  The  Moravian  brethren  alone  are  an  exception. — 
They  have,  in  this  inftance,  evidenced  much  of  the  genuine 
fpirit  of  the  Goipel,  and  were  prcbnbly  railed  up  for  the  ex- 
prefs  ptirpr  fe  of  preparing  the  way  for  wh.it  has  at  length* 
Commenced. 

* Evangel.  Mag.  J“l)t  1795. 

3 

Prefect  /Visions. 

BY  the  prefent  period  is  intended  the  laft  eight  or  ten  years* 
comprifing  the  dofe  of  the  eighteenth  and  opening  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  To  exhibit  an  abridged  detail  tf  what 
l>ns' been  performed  within  that  time  would  require  a volume. 
X^orhing  more  titan  a mere  enumeration  of  the  feveral  eitabiiih* 
ments  of  Miifionnry  Societies  can  be  litre  expected. 

l he  Moravian  brethren,  who  heretofore  excelled  in  their 
exertions  to  propagate  ilit  Goipel  among  the  heathen,  have,  ot 
late,  exceeded  their  former  labors  ; and  other  churches,  at 
length,  have  attained  tlic  Itatiou  they  ought  to  occupy  in  this 
beuevoient  work. 


C 43  3 


The  Moravians  have  now,  in  St.  Thomas,  two  eftablijJ*. 
ments  ; in  St.  Croix,  two  ; in  St.  John’s,  two  ; in  Greenland, 
three;  in  North  America,  four  ; in  South  America,  three; 
at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  one  ; in  Jamaica,  two  ; in  Antigua, 
.three  ; on  the  coatt  of  Labrador,  three  ; in  Harbndocs,  one  ; in 
Ruffian  Aff«b  one  ; in  St.  Kitt’s,  one  ; in  Tobago,  one  — l he 
Rev.  G.  H*  Lolkiel  (author  of  the  Hiliory  of  tne  Millions  of 
the  United  Brethren,  &c.  tranflated  from  the  German  by  C.  J. 
La  Trobe)  from  whom  the  principal  information  reflecting 
thefe  millions  has  been  obtained,  obferve  , in  the  clole  ot  his 
letter,  “ from  very  fmall  beginings  the  millions  ot  the  breth- 
ren have  increafed  to  about  thirty  iettlements  in  different  parts 
of  the  earth,  in  which  nearly  150  millionar.es  are  employed  ; a 
number  hardly  lufticient  for  the  care  of  above  24,000  converts 
from  among  the  heathen.” 

Several  animated  publications  uppn  the  fubj°cl  of  millions 
engaged  the  attention  of  Chriftians  at  this  period.  Among 
thefe,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Carey’j  “ Inquiry  into  the  Obligations  ot 
ChriiTuns  to  lend  Millions  to  the  Heathen  the  earnell  and 
ipirited  Letters  of  Melville  Horne,  late  Chaplain  of  Sierra  Le- 
one  ; and  a judicious  and  pathetic  Addrd's  by  the  Rev.  Du  id 
Hogue,  leem  to  have  made  the  decpeli  imprtfiion.  A train  of 
extraordinary  and  affeding  events  in  Divine  Provitlen.e,  which, 
a;  the  time,  convulfcd  many  kingdoms  in  Europe,  appear  to 
have  been  fjnd tiffed  to  the  churclies.  Pious  and  excellent  men 
of  different  denominate  ms,  and  in  different  nations,  wore  ot 
once  aroufed  to  ferious  thoughtfuincls,  to  much  ronveriation, 
and,  ffnally,  the  forming  of  Allocations,  for  the  expreis  pur- 
pole  of  glorifying  the  Divine  Redeemer,  by  extending  t)ie 
knowledge  of  his  ialvation  to  the  urternsoit  parts  of  the  eart-b. 
The  Jet  time  to  build  up  Zion  w is  come,  and  the  fpirit  of  the 
Lord  inclined  his  people  to  favor  her  ruins. 

Mr.  Parey  evinced  his  ffneerity  by  becoming  himfelf  a rr.if- 
fionarv,  and  went,  with  others,  into  India.  Betides  preaching 
the  Gofpel  to  the  Hindoos  and  neighboring  natives,  he  has 
been  indefatigably  employed  in  translating  the  Bible  into  tne 
Bengalefe  language,  and  has  nearly  completed  ;he  verfion. 
What  bielEngs  have  attended  thefe  labors  may  be  efltmated 
from  an  extrad  of  one  of  his  letters  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Miller,  of 
this  city.  • “ f have  written  an  account  of  the  great  work  of 
God  on  the  coaft  near  Cape  Comorin,  to  ftveral  perlbns  in  A- 
merica.  I think  when  the  laft  accounts  came  away  the^e  had 
been  near  4000  perlbns  baptized  there  in  the  {pace  of  a few 
months.  About  1000,  more  or  ieis,  by  Mr.  Gericke,  and  2700 
by  the  native  minifters.  Thefe  have  all  rejected  heathemfm, 
Jemolifhed  their  idols,  and  fitted  up  the  temples  for  Chrii'ti’n 
wovllnp.” 


There  were  in  1798,  nine  miffionaries  employed  on  the 
Madras  coaft : Three  in  Tranquebar,  who  depend  on  the  Mif- 
fionary College  at  Copenhagen  ; three  at  Tanjore  ; cr>e  in 
Trichinopoly  •,  two  at  Vepery,  near  Madras,  who  depend  on 
the  Society  in  London  for  Promoting  Chriftian  Knowledge. 

The  following  lill  of  Miffionary  Societies  lately  erected,  will 
evince  a general  movement  in  the  Churches  for  the  converfion 
of  the  heathen. 

In  Europe. 

The  particular  Baptift  Miffionary  Society,  inflituted  in  17SC. 

London  Miffionary  Society,  inflituted  in  17^5. 

Edinburgh,  Glafgow,  Aberdeen,  Paifley,  Dundee,  Perth, 
and  Kelfo  Miffionary  Societies,  inflituted  in  1796.  The 
mod  of  thefe  are  branches  of  the  London  Society. 

The  Netherland  Miffionary  Society,  inflituted  in  1797. 

Miffionary  Society  at  Bafil,  in  Switzerland  ; in  Berlin,  and 
different  parts  of  Germany;  in  Sweden  and  Denmark,  of 
which  particulars  arc  not  known. 

A Miffionary  Society  in  England,  inflituted  about  four  years 
ago,  for  lending  Miffionaries  to  the  Sooioo  country  in  Africa, 
and  to  the  Tartars  and  other  nations  in  the  Fall.  This  Soci- 
ety has  undertaken  to  publifh  a vcrfion  of  the  fcripunt  in  A- 
rabic,  and  has  had  gopd  luctefs  in  Miffionary  labors. 

In  Africa. 

The  South  African  Miffionary  Society,  at  the  Cape  cf  Good 
Hope. 

In  America. 

The  Miffionary  Society  cfNewyoik,  inflituted  1796. 

The  Northern  Miffionary  Society  in  the  flate  of  Newvorlc, 
1798. 

The  Miffionary  Society  of  Connecticut,  1798. 

The  Miffionary  Society  of  Maffiicliufetts,  17P9. 

The  MiffionarvSociety  of  Hampfhire,  in  MaiTachufetts  1500. 

The  Miffionary  Society  of  Newjerfey,  1801. 

Btpiifl  Miffionary  Society  of  Mafiachnfetts,  1 "02. 

‘Wel'tern  Miffionary  Society,  competed  of  the  Prefhyterian 
Synod  of  Pitifburg,  formed  1802. 

The  General  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  ChuTch  have, 
fince  the  year  1789,  made  annual  collections  in  tl^eir  Chiucli- 
es,  and  conflitured  the  claffis  of  Albany  a handing  Cor  irittic. 
for  millions.  They  have  lent  fevetal  miffionaries  upon  th  : 
frontiers,  and  fome  into  upper  Canada.  In  1 800  ti  t y had  fix. 

The  Kpiicopal  Church,  in  General  Convention,  1792,  rein  v- 
ed  to  colleCt  a fund  for  miffionar)  gurpofes,  anti  have  made 
fome  efforts  to  fend  the  Golpel  among  the  frontier  fcttUn  < i * §. 
In  a fubfequent  General  Convention  the  bufinefs  was  lift  to  the 
Convention  of  each  State,  in  conlequcnce  of  which,  the  Ep.l- 


C 45  3 


copal  Church  in  the  State  of  Newvork  have  eftabliihed  a Mli- 
fionary  Society,  fupported  hv  annual  coiledtions,  and  there  are 
now  emp’oyed  three  miflionaries. 

Tlir  General  Afiembiy  of  the  Prefbyterian  Church  began, 
in  1789,  to  form  miflionary  plans.  The  Affenvbly  it :c-if  man- 
aged the  bufirefs  of  n.ifiions  until  1802,  when  they  chole  a 
5;  .ruling  Cuwnittee  of  M’jfntii.  For  a number  of  years  there 
hav  been  from  fix  to  ten  miflionaries  employed  unoer  the  di- 
rection of  the  Afieicbly.  There  are,  at  this  time,  under  the 
ctr?  of  the  Allembly  and  the  Synods  of  Virginia,  Pit.tburgh, 
and  the  C.irolinas,  about  twenty  miflionaries.  Three  among 
the  India  s ; one  black  man  among  the  negroes  in  the  Soutn- 
ern  States  ; and  the  remaining  fifteen  in  the  frontier  fetile- 
ments. 

From  the  annual  reports  of  the  refpeftive  Societies  in  A- 
merica,  it  appears  that  the  frontier  citizens,  lately  emigrated, 
.nid  dciiitute  of  the  ordinances  of  ^race,  have  hitherto  been 
the  principal  objects  of  attention.  The  reports  of  the  New- 
pork  Society  lhow  a door  of  ufefulncls  opened  among  lome  of 
the  Indian  tribes,  and  conlhlerable  luccefs  in  their  mifEons, 
piriiculartv  m the  fuf:arora  and  Seneca  nations, 

Tue  London  Society  ftatnls  foremoft  of  any  in  the  world  for 
the  magnitude  of  their  plans  and  thcdv'gorous  mealures  they 
have  puriued.  At  their  lint  meeting,  September,  L79o,  when 
about  two  hundred  ministers  of  different  denominations  were 
afTembied,  it  was  refohed  “ to  fend  miflionaries  to  Otabeite,  or 
tome  other  of  ti  e fouth  Sea  Iflands  •,  and  that  as  foon  as  poiii- 
ble  millions  (he  um  oe  attempted  to  the  Coaft  of  Africa,  or  to 
Tartary,  by  Ailracan  i or  to  Surat,  on  the  Malabar  Coaft  ; or 
to  Bengal,  or  the  Coromandel  Coafi,  or  co  the  Itland  of  Suma- 
tra, or  to  the  Pelew  Iflands,  as  providence  might  direct.”  Con- 
tributions ffowed  in  from  all  parrs  of  the  country,  and  in  1796 
the  funds  of  the  Society  amounted  to  eleven  thousand  and  eigh- 
ty eight  pounds.  Before  the  meeting  in  April  of  that  year, 
nineteen  miflionaries  were  engaged  by  the  directors  ; others 
were  afterwards  admitted,  and  in  Auguft,  twentynine  mifiion- 
ar'es,  dettined  to  the  Iflands  in  the  South  Sea,  embarked  or\ 
ho  ird  me  D:f,  a thi.p  pur chafed  by  the  Directors  at  four  thou- 
i.  nd  eight  hundred  and  l'eventy  five  pounds.  The  whole  ex- 
veofe  of  the  undertaking  amounted  to  twelve  thoufand  pounds 
tterling.  In  May,  17v7,  fix  miflionaries  embarked  for  the 
Foulah  country,  in  Africa,  in  a vciFcl  in  the  f rvice  of  the  Si- 
ena Leone  company.  Of  the  miflionaries  font  to  the  South 
Se  i Iflan  Is,  nineteen  were  left  at  Otaheite,  nine  at  Tcngatcboo, 
and  one  at  Marquefas.  A fccond  company  were  fept  out  in 
Dec.  1793.  Thefe  were  taken  by  a French  privateei  , a iu 
none  of  them  reached  the  place  of  their  defiination.  In  the 
beginning  of  the  year  17l*S,  eleven  of  thct./iflicnaries  Lie 


r 46  3 


ptahclte  and  went  to  New-Holland,  where  they  hare  been  fuc- 
celsful  in  preaching  the  Gof’pel. 

The  London  Society  Tent  four  mifTsonnries  in  J 798  to  the 
Cape  of  Good-Hope.  They  had  two  in  Canada,  and  one  in 
Newfoundland.  They  had  alfo  one  in  India,  and  have  ft  nee 
fent  eight  or  ten  more  to  Otaheite.  In  1799  they  had  lent 
out  above  eighty  miffionaries  to  ditferer.t  parts  of  the  world. 

Among  all  thefe  vaft  exertions  for  the  infirudfion  and  con- 
vection of  the  heathen,  the  million  by  the  way  of  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  to  the  fouthern  parts  of  Africa,  has  at;  ref  tea  molt 
ntten  ion,  and  been  crowned  with  the  greatell  prolperity.  The 
venerable  Dr.  Van  Dek  Kemp,  of  Rotterdam,  a phyfician  of 
improved  talents  and  exemplary  piety,  offered  Lis  fervice  to  the 
London  Scc:ety,  aid  was  received  with  the  relpeit  due  to  hi; 
chnradler.  He  cheerfully  engaged  in  a million  to  Africa,  and 
has  penetrated  above  five  hundred  miles  from  the. Cape,  where 
lie  is  now  fuccefsfullv  labouring  with  Mr.  Edwards  and  iomc 
others,  in  the  converfion  of  the  Cafires.  The  pious  young 
Kiel. ever,  alfo  from  Holland,  is  employed  with  Mr.  Edmonds 
and  others  among  t' e Bofchmen,  the  m oft  lavage  of  all  the 
Hottentot  race.  i iic  accounts  tranfmined  from  thefe  apoftoi- 
ic  men,  dated  from  the  molt  inhofpi  able  regions  of  the  earth, 
excite  aftonifhment  and  gratitude.  The  I^oru  is  evidently  with 
them  Tiie  power  of  divine  grace  appears  to  be  hr  ft  exem- 
p’ifie.l  in  the  moft  wretched  ami  degraded  portion  of  the  hu- 
man family,  as  a prelude  to  mercies  to  be  conferred  upon  all 
nations. 

The  fbciety  of  Edinburgh  have  f.nt  feven  miffionaries  iqto 
P.uflian  Kartary.  The  Emperor  Alexander. upon  application, 
proved  friendly  to  this  million,  and  appears  difpofed  to  encour- 
age that  good  work  in  any  part  of  his  extenfive  empire.  In  a 
letter  from  thefe  millionarics  to  the  Society,  dated  at  Karals, 
October  l,  ISOli,  they  pro  no  led  to  redeem  a number  of  voting 
pet  Tons  from  flavor)-,  and  teach  them  the  Tartar,  Circafii.m, 
l'lnglifh,  and  Ruhian  languages,  and  the  principles  of  the 
chritfian  religion.  They  intended  alfo  tQ  publifh  a tranfl.ition 
nt  the  fer  ptures  in  the  Tartar  language  ; and  as  foon  as  they 
were  fu;ficient<y  m.tffcrs  of  the  Cibaro- .n,  to  tranfl  ite,  at  lead, 
n part  of  rhe  fcripjurcs  in  tint  language.  They  alfo  mention 
their  munition  to  circulate  (hurt  religious  tiadis  through  the 
enftern  parts  of  the  i uricilh  empire,  in  the  Turkilh  atid  Ara- 
bic languages. 

Sufficient  documents  are  not  at  hand  to  furnifti  a catalogue 
o!  II  the  millions  now  1'upp  >vtcd,  much  lefs  to  determine  the 
number  of  mifli  maries  at  preiVnt  employed  indifferent  nations. 
A id  icry  of  thefe  eltablih'mvjnts,  it  i . laid,  is  preparing,  and 
will  (bo  » be  publilhed  in  Britain,  whicfi  cannot  fail  of  proving 
an  mteretliag  and  acceptable  work. — From  the  imperfect  out- 


L *7  ] 


iirc»s  here  drawn,  a view  of  the  fubjeft  may  bo  taken.  Attend 
to  what  has  been  done  within  the  lull  ten  years.  Eftirrute  th» 
greatnds  of  the  defign,  and  the  promptitude  and  extent  of  the 
execution.  Conlider  all  this  as  only  a fmall  portion  of  the 
plans  formed,  only  the  fir  ft  fellings  of  the  Ipirit  which  now  in- 
vigorates the  Churches.  Compare  the  whole  with  what  has 
heretofore  been  attempted,  and  then  decide  whether  it  does 
not  conftitute  a new  and  diftinguifhed  epoch  in  the  biliary  of 
the  Church. 


C. 

if  at  ah  xxv  i.  17.  At. 

IT  was  faid  in  the  Difcourfe,  that  little  refpecting  the  inter- 
mediate fpace  between  the  opening  and  the  clofe  of  the  New 
Teftament  difpenfation,  could  be  exprefsly  colle&cd  Irom  the 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Teftament.  Among  the  exceptions  to 
this  obfervation,  is  a remarkable  predi&ion  in  Ifiaiah  xxvi.  The 
Church,  under  the  Cofpel  difpenfation,  is  in  this  and  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  the  principal  fubjeft  of  prophecy.  Zion  is  in- 
troduced finging.  A long  is  always,  in  the  prophecies,  a fym- 
bol  of  the  enlargement  of  the  Church.  In  verfes  17,  IS,  flic 
complains  of  feeble  and  ineffectual  efforts  in  extending  the  in- 
terefts  and  kingdom  of  her  Redeemer.  IV e have  not  wrought 

any  deliverance  in  the  earthy  neither  have  tie  inhabitants  of  the 
world  fallen.  She  receives  in  anfwer  the  confiding  promife  of 
a period  when  ilie  (ha'l  make  vigorous  and  fuccefsful  exertions, 
ati  no  i mg  Tco  nplain  of  abo-ti/e  l.ibars  when  converts,  nu- 
merous as  the  morning  dew,  Ihnll  join  her  ftandard.  Thy  dead 
fjall  live.  Awahe  and  fug — thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs. 
Nofeafim  or  time  is  particularly  afeertained  when  this  promife 
will  be  actomplifhed  ; but  another  event  is  foretold,  and  ias- 
mediatelv  connected  with  this.  A judgment,  a lingular  judg- 
ment, indited  as  the  punilhment  of  a peculiar  and  enormous 
crime,  is  mentioned.  The  event  is  reprefented  as  inevita- 
ble •,  the  Lord’s  people  may  not  pray  for  its  removal,  but  are 
direefed  to  fly  to  their  chambers  and  hide  themfelves,  until  the 
indignation  beoverpal.  Tory  bthold  the  Lord  cornel!)  out  of  his 
place  to  puaifb  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  for  their  iniquity  ; the 
earth  fh all  alfo  difclofe  her  blood,  an  ljha.ll  no  more  cover  her Jlu in. 
The  terms  here  ufed,  compared  with  parallel  exprefilons  m the 
Revelation,  put  it  beyond  a doubt  that  the  blood  of  the  mar- 
tyrs is  intended,  and  the  punifliment  predicated  is  the  avenging 
of  that  blood.  This  is  introduced  as  a coetaneous  event  with 
the  enlargement  of  the  Church.  Whenever  that  precious 
blood  begins  to  be  avenged,  then  Zion  Will  fing  of  mercy  as 


[ 48  3 - 


veil  as  judgment  \ then  a new  and  profperous  rr.iniftry  will 
suife  in  the  Church,  and  her  borders  be  widely  extended. 

The  death  of  the  martyrs  under  i<npt>  ial  Rome  h?s  been  con- 
fidered  as  fully  avenged  at  the  overthrow  of  that  form  of  gov- 
ernment, when,  bv  terrible  difpenfations  of  Providence,  tne 
perfecutors  were  exterminated  * Whatever  may  be  determin- 
ed upon  that  difficult  queftion,  it  is  certain,  that  the  debt  con- 
tracted under  Rome  pabal  has  never  yet  been  difeharged!*'  As 
the  eloiihg  period  ot  the  Old  Teftament  was  the  time  oTVeck- 
oning  for  all  ibe  righteous  blood Jhed  upon  the  earth,  under  that 
difpenfation  •,  fo  the  dole  of  antichrift’s  reign\vill,  probably  ac- 
cording to  the  anilogy  of  the  divine  proceedings,  be  the  fet 
time  when  the  precious  blood  of  the  faints,  ffied  by  antichrilt, 
will  be  difclofed  and  avenged.  Omnif  enim  perfecutio  et  af- 
fiiCtio  ecclefiae  verse  ac  confefibrum  verce  religionis  cauffii  fidei 
iudituta  hacipfa  perfecutione  et  affliCtione  ( Maccabatia  nempe) 
eptphanica  involuta  fuii. — Vidit  eccleGa  Deum  variis  cafibus  ct 
temporibus  e loco  fuo  prodeuntem,  et  caufTam  c cclefiae  fux  fan- 
guinemque  fervorum  fuorum,  injuftiffime  maclatorum  vindican- 
tcm. — Neque  enim  tot  confefforutn  et  inartyrum  proximorum 
duorum  Feculorum  occidiones  injuftiffimae  et  fanguis  juftorvm 
in  lanienis  Albigeiffibus  Merindoliana  et  Caprareiffi,  PariiienH, 
Hibernica,  horrendo  ac  deceftando  cxemplo,  protufus,  a terra  et 
aqua  abforptus  haCtenus  expiatte  funt,  nec  eorum  nomine  di- 
vinae  juttitiae  pro  merito  cauffie  et  fcelerum  iniquitate  ac  gravi- 
litatum  videtur.  Veniet  tempus  judicii  perfeefi,  quo  caulEa  r r- 
Jigionis  et  confeflbrum  ejus,  n.aCtatorum  propter  teftiqpohiiun 
Jefu,  in  publicani  protraheltir  lucem  ; fangtiis  juftorum  damans 
vindicbm  retegetur,  et  defenfores  horum  atrocium  fcelerum, 
qui  ea  oraiiotiibus  aut  icriptis  tegere,  excufare,  aut  pailaire  ftu- 
dueront,  pudefiegt. — Vltkinga  in  loc. 

* See  HO  nmentators  upon  Rev.  vi.  See  alp  LaGTANTIUS  D 
Aj  or  iibus  VerfiCutorum. 

I) 

The  ufjiocalypfe. 

THE  ApoCAT.vpsr.  at  firft  view  appears  dark  and  unintelli- 
gible* M mv  who  receive  it  as  a precious  Portion  orlhe  I acred 
v dtime  fuppof'e  this  book,  with  lome  parts  of  Ezekiel,  Daniel, 
a id  Zaclvanah,  to  be  intended  t'olely  for  die  ufe  of  the  Church 
at  ti  e dole  of  the  New  Teifament  difpenfati  >n.  The  difeord- 
aot  fa.uhnents,  and  different  explications  of  learned  and  pious 
commentators,  who  profel's  to  have  ft  tidied  it  with  attention, 
feem  alio  to  difeourage  any  further  attempts  to  difeover  -is  x 


C 4$  3 

meaning.  But,  let  it  be  remembered,  this  is  not  a clofed  book. 
Some  parts,  at  leaft,  are  eafily  comprehended.  Our  blefled  Je- 
fus,  who  opened  the  feals,  has  given  it  to  his  people  for  their 
immediate  inftruttion  j and  upon  thofe  who  faithfully  read  and 
improve  it,  has  pronounced  his  blefling.  As  the  feafon  ap- 
proaches in  which  the  Lord  is  about  to  fulfil  his  proraifes,  he 
v.i'1  no  doubt,  diredf  the  attention  of  believers  to  this  fure  word 
of  prophecy , which  is  as  a light  Ihining  in  a dark  place,  that  they 
may  know  what  he  is  performing,  what  they  have  to  expeft, 
and  for  what  they  are  elpecially  to  pray. 

It  is  the  i harafter  of  all  prophecies  to  be  in  fome  meafurc 
obfcure.  M my  reafons  are  ob\ious  why  they  ought  to  be  fo. 
Nor  can  this  detract  from  the  wiliiom  and  authority  of  the  di- 
vine oracles.  When  the  fubjeEl,  the  language,  and  the  order, 
adopted  in  the  Apocalypfe  are  understood,  it  becomes  luffi. 
cienrly  accetlible,  and  will  be  found  a fource  of  delightful  and 
edifying  ftudy.  i • r. 

The  subject  is  introduced  in  the  firft  chapter,  and  compre- 
hends the  things  which  were,  and  thofe  things  which  were  to 
be  hereafter.  The  things  which  were , reipefted  the  ftate  of  the 
Church  and  religion  at  that  prefent  time,  of  which  the  leven 
Churches  in  LelTer  Alia  exhibited  a lpecimen.  The  things 
which  were  to  he,  comprife  the  whole  future  difpenfation  of  the 
New  Teftament,  until  the  myftery  of  Redemption  be  finilh- 
ed.  Thefe  future  events  are  divided  into  two  great  periods. 
The  firfl  relates  to  the  adverle  ftate  of  the  Church  during  the 
protrafled  interval  of  her  fufferings,  when  opprefled  with  er- 
rors and  pe*'ecutions,  (he  would  gradually  retire  from  public 
view,  and  after  a long  concealment,*  again,  by  gradual  fteps, 
be  brought  forward,  and,  finally,  triumph  overall  her  enemies. 
Thefe  changes,  including  only  fo  much  of  the  hiftory  of  the 
world  as  is  immediately  connected  with  the  fate  of  the  Church* 
are  introduced  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  chapter,  and  ex- 
pend to  the  clofe  of  the  nineteenth.  They  are  depi&ed  by 
feals,  trumpets,  and  vials,  which  open  the  different  fcenes,  pnd 
exhibit  the  fuccefiion  of  thole  momentous  events.  Various  hi- 
eroglyphics  and  vvlions,  interfperfed  with  literal  explanations, 
and  frequent  epifodes  of  the  moft  fublime  devotion,  enliven  and 
elevate  the  interefting  pnkli&ions.  The  lajl  period  refpefts 
that  profperous  ftate  of  the  Church,  when  the  whole  world 
ftiall  know  the  Lord,  and  ferve  him  in  fpirit  an#  in  truth. 
This  is  del'cribed  in  the  twentieth  and  two  following  chapters, 
which  delineate  what  is  commonly  called  the  Millennium. 

* The  Church  was  never  fo  completely  hidden  as  to  be  wholly  in - 
■viable.  In  her  roof  obfcure  flute,  the  enemy  always  knew  where  to 

find  her , G 


I SO  J 


The  language  of  the  Apocalvpfe,  like  the  prophecies  o? 
the  Old  Teftament,  is  partly  fymbolical  and  partly  alphabeti- 
cal. In  the  principal  predictions  both  languages  are  found. 
The  fymbolical  is  ufually  firft  introduced,  and  then  an  expla- 
nation follows  in  plain  words.  The  fymbolical  language  is  of 
the  nature  of  a picture,*  reprefrnting  the  thing  intended  bj 
a figure  or  emblem,  inftead  of  exprefiing  it  by  its  name,  or  de- 
feribing  it  by  words.  This  is  called  hieroglyphic  (hieros  glu- 
pho,  facred  fculpture)  and  was  the  ancient  mode  of  writing,  iit 
the  fit  ft  ftage  of  that  art,  before  the  alphabet  was  invented,  and 
is  ftill  praCtifed  by  fome  nations.  It  was  certainly  very  fuitable 
to  revelations  communicated  in  vilions  ; lince  it  (hows  the  very 
thing  which  the  prophet  faw  and  thus  leaves  the  vifion  entire 
upon  record,  ftill  to  be  leen  and  ftudied  by  the  Churches.  As  it 
refpeCts  Ample  objeCts  and  events,  the  hieroglyphic  writings  arc 
the  moft  equivical  of  all  others.  They  are  equally  intelligible 
to  people  of  all  tongues  and  nations.  A piCture  needs  no  tranl- 
lation.  Provided  the  fymbols  hatie  a fixed  and  determinate 
meaning,  there  will  be  lefts  ambiguity  or  poflibility  of  miftake 
in  this  than  in  any  other  mode  of  writing.  If  the  fame  figures 
or  hieroglyphic  always  means  the  fame  thing,  it  cannot  be  mif- 
app'ied.  Thofe  who  have  examined  this  circumliflnce  with  the 
greateft  accuracy,  have  found  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has,  without 
any  deviation,  always  employed  the  fymbols  in  one  uniform, 
method,  and  that  the  prophets  forever  introduce  the  fame  fig- 
ure in  the  fame  primary  fenfe. 

With  refpedt  to  the  order  maintained  in  thi^book,  it  isob- 
fervable,  that  a whole  feries  of  events,  as  they  are  to  lucreed 
each  other  are  commonly  introduced  in  one  general  exhibition  ; 
after  which\  many  of  the  particular  events  belonging  to  that  fe- 
ries are  again  brought  into  view,  and,  with  fome  concomitant 
circumftances,  more  minutely  deferibed.  This  accounts  for 
the  repetitions  and  apparent  perplexities  which  (o  frequently 
occur  ; and,  without  attending  to  this,  a labyrinth  of  errors- 
cannot"  be  avoided.  Another  rule  refpeChng  order  is,  that 
whenever  a number  of  vilions  or  predictions  immediately  follow 
each  other,  in  an  uninterrupted  courfe,  there  the  order  of  e- 
vents,  in  regard  to  the  time  of  their  refpeCtive  accompliihmcnt, 
is  always  to  be  confidered  as  ftriCUv  exprefled. 

* In  a late  commentary  upon  the  Revelation,  by  Dr.  Brice 
'Johnfon,  the  reader  will  find  the  mofl  fatisfnefory  explanation  cj* 
the fymbolical  language.  This  Commentary  is,  perhaps , the  bejl 
of  any  p'ubliJheJ  upon  the  Aptcalypfe,  and  ought  to  be  conf ulted  by 
all  mho  mijlj  to  obtain  a Jut;  sf a fiery  vie-w  of  the  prophecies  recorded 
in  that  both.  . 


C 51  3 


E. 

The  Reformation. 

THE  hieroglyphic  in  the  vifion,  recorded  Rev.  xiv.  1,2,  S, 
A,  5,  exhibits  a number  of  fealed  perfons  Ln  a confpicious  fta- 
tion,  (landing  with  a Lamb,  and  finging  a fong  which  the 
world  could  not  underdand.  The  literal  expofition  defcribcs 
the  charadler  of  the  fealed,  by  l'uch  accurate  and  diftinguilhing 
marks,  as  renders  it  impoflibie  to  midtJce  the  intention  of 
the  predi&ion. 

The  whole  of  this  vinon  correfponds  fo  exactly  with  what 
we  find  in  the  feventh  chapter  of  this  book,  that  we  mud  refer 
to  that  pafiage  to  underdand  the  meaning  of  this.  Previous  to 
the  prophecies  refpedling  an  inimical  power,  which  would  be 
permitted  to  tyrannize,  for  many  centuries,  over  the  Church  ; 
it  pleafed  the  Lord  to  give  afiiirance,  that  a feed  fliould  De 
preferved,  who  would  maintain  the  truth  and  hand  it  down  in- 
violate to  pofteritv  ; a people  who  would  know  the  Redeemer, 
and  be  known  aud  owned  of  him,  as  his  faithful  dilciples.  Ac- 
cordingly, in  the  feventh  chapter,  before  the  fcenes  of  defection 
and  the  conlequent  judgments  open,  the  feal  of  God  is  affixed 
upon  a number  of  perlons.  A feal  is  an  appropriating  mark, 
and  (erves  as  a pledge  of  didinftion  and  prefervation.  The 
foundation  of  God  fandejl  fare,  bauing  this  ft  //,  the  Lord  knowth 
them  that  a>  e his.  His  people  are  fealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
the  day  of  their  redemption.  And  as, they  name  the  name  of  Chrtjl, 
fo  they  depart  from  iniquity.  Thole  who  were  fealed  were  fuck 
.as  anlvver  to  this  defcription.  Their  faith  would  be  built  upon 
the  foundation  of  the  prophets  and  apf.es,  Jefus  Ghriji  h'.mfelf  be- 
ing the  chief  cornner  Jlcne  ; wherefore  the  fyjmbolicai  number  of 
twelve,  the  number  of  the  patriarchs,  fquaned  by  twelve,  the 
number  of  the  apoftles,  is  ufed  ; and  Jnis  is  multiplied  by  one 
thoufand,  in  referrence,  probably,  to  the  thoundfand  years  of 
the  Millennium,  when  (uch  fealed  ones  would  be  multiplied  a 
thoufand  times : To  theie  the  names  of  the  tribes  of  Iirael,  not 
in  regular  order  or  exadl  enumeration,  are  annexed. 

This  hieroglyphic  denotes,  that  during  the  long  defpotifm  of 
antichritl,  when  the  Church  would  fly  into  the  wildernefs,  the 
great  body  of  profelfing  Chriftians  would  be  infincere  and  cor- 
rupted ; that  a true  (piritual  Ifrael  would,  nouvithftanding,  be 
always  preferved  $ that  thefe  compared  to  the  great  mafs, 
would  be  very  few  ; that  the  fealed  fhould  not  be  confined  to 
any  particular  tribe  or  denomination  •,  that  their  fncerity  would 
be  known  and  acknowledged  by  none  but  their  divine  Mailer  ; 
and,  finally,  that  they  (hould  be  certainly  preferved  from  the 


.C  M 3 

defilement  of  idolatry  cr  fpiritual  adultery.  By  the  prediction, 
then,  in  the  feventh  chapter,  an  affurance  was  given,  that  the 
Lord  would  have  a faithful  people  in  the  word  of  times.  Al- 
though the  world  might  hate  them,  and  antichrift  attempt  to 
wear  out  the  faints  of  the  Moft  High,  yet  there  (hould  be  a 
number,  not  always  exactly  the  fame,  but  always  during  that 
flate  of  the  Church,  comparatively  few,  who  would  cleave  to 
the  Lord,  and  the  upright  before  him.  They  were  the  sf.ali  n 
of  God,  and  would  therefore  efcape  the  fuperftition  and  pollu- 
tion of  the  times  They  were  written  in  the  Book  of  Lifeof  tfse 
Lamb,  and  they  were  excepted  from  the  number  of  thofe  who 
Wor  (hipped  the  Bead.  They  were  the  elec?  of  God , and  it 
would  be  impofiible  to.  deceive  them  to  their  final  deftruc- 
tion. 

Look  now  at  the  firft  vifion  in  the  fourteenth  chapter.  We 
have  here  the  fame  number  of  the  fealed,the  fame  character,  & 
underthe  fame  fymbolical  name  with  thofe  in  the  feventh  chap- 
ter ; which  renders  it  evident  that  the  fame  identical  people  are 
intended,  with  this  difference  only,  that  here  they  appear  open- 
ly as  a Church  They  are,  therefore,  reprefcnted  as  (landing 
upon  mount  Zion,  the  fymbol  of  the  Church,  with  their  once 
crucified  Savior  at.  their  head  ; and  there  thev  ling.  They 
fing  the  very  fong  which  believers  had  fung  in  fecret  fo  many 
ages.  They  anticipate  the  very  fong  which  the  Church  will 
fing  when  her  fufferings  are  ended.  But  yet  their  fong  is 
known  only  to  themfelves  ; which  proves  it  refers  to  a time 
wherein  the  Church  is  ftili  circumfcribed  aud  unacknowledged 
by  the  world — that  (he  is  not  yet  fully  emancipated  from  the 
wildernefs. 

To  what  can  this  refer,  but  to  that  which  was  dccomplifhed  at 
the  Reformation  ? Nothing  ever  happened  before  that  period, 
which  correfponds  with  this  vifion  ; but  what  was  then  effect- 
ed, completely  anfwers  to  the  hieroglyphics  and  literal  explana- 
tion. Then  the  fealed  of  the  Lord  were  brought  to  public 
view.  Then  the  faithfulnefs  of  God  to  his  promife  in  prefeiv- 
ing  (uch  a people,  appeared.  Then  the  bleffed  Jefus  vindicat- 
ed his  caufe,  lyonored  his  Gofpel,  and  (bowed  himfelfto  be  the 
Savior  of  his  Zion.  Then  antichrift  began  toconlume  before 
the  word  of  the  Lord , the  fpirit  of  his  mouth  and  a pledge  was 
given  that  the  Church  would  be  fafely  preferved  during  the  re- 
maining fpace  of  her  wildernefs  (late. 

We  may  undoubtedly  expefl,that  fo  great  an  event  as  the 
Reformation  would  be  fomewhere  fpecifically  foretold  in  the 
prophecies.  Leffer  concerns  are  declared  ; and  would  not  thv 
Lord  notify  a bleffing,  a change  in  their  condition  of  fuch  a 
magnitude  to  his  faithful  people,  who  were  waiting  for  the  con- 
folation  of  Ifrael  ? But  unlflfs  this  vifion  refers  to  it,  where  is 


C 53  3 

the  predifHon  which  e^prefsly  notifies  that  event  ? In  general, 
terms,  it  is,  indeed,  throughout  all  the  proptucies,  luliiciemiy 
afceruined  that  the  Church  (hall  be  fafeiy  protected  and  tn. ally 
victorious.  But  no  where,  excepting  in  this  vilion,  is  the  ex- 
hibited in  the  dignified  attitude  and  lingular  character,  by 
which  the  was  particularly  dillingujlhed  at  the  Reforma- 
tion. 

By  what  marks  or  rules  of  eXpofition  is  jt  polTible  to  deters 
mine  the  meaning  of  a fymbolical  prophecy  more  iatisi actordy 
than  by  thole  before  us  ? The  vilion,  which  is  uiuintt  and  c«_m- 
plete,  evidently  refers  to  a particular  object,  and  trom  the  lub- 
limity  andftrikiug  hieroglyphics  here  introduced,  muil  indicate 
Something  great  and  intereltiig.  Ic  contradicts  all  regard  to 
order  and  propriety,  to  crowd  unneceflarily  the  accompliihment 
of  a number  tf  prophecies  relpecting  diltincc  events  into  oi.e 
fhort  period  of  time.  There  is  no  neceflity,  therefore,  to  looic 
for  vard  to  the  commencement  of  the  Millennium  tor  the  ful- 
filment of  this  prediction,  as  fome  commentators  have  done. 
It  is  already  fulfilled.  What  happened  in  the  beginning 
of  the  fifteenth  century  was  the  fpecific  event  here  foretold. 
It  will,  indeed,  be  again  and  again  accompnlhed  at  every  great 
difpi.iy  of  the  Church,  ?s  (lie  advances  in  her  profperity  ; but 
the  Reformation  was  the  lirlt  and  particular  period  intended 
in  this  prophecy. 

F 

Tie  Fall  cf  Babylon. 

AS  in  every  age  there  have  been,  fo  at  this  day  there  are, 
many  worthy  characters  in  the  communion  of  the  papal  hie- 
rarchy, who  abhor  the  practices  which  have  difhonored  that 
power,  and  are  eminent  for  their  talents  and  virtues.  Such 
diftmguifhed  individuals  muft  not  be  offended,  when  the  de- 
clarations of  fdripture  are  faithfully  explained,  and  compared 
with  fafts  which  cannot  be  denied. 

The  prophecies  are  numerous  which  announce  the  rife  and 
exploits  of  a pernicious  adverfarv,  who  would  introduce  a form* 
inftead  of  the  power  of  religion,  blend  the  worlhip  of  God 
with  temporal  intereffs,  and  attempt  to  change  the  kingdom  of 
Jefus  Chrift  into  a kingdom  of  this  world.  The  adverfarv  is 
deferibed  by  fo  many  marks,  that  it  is  impoflibte  to  miftake 
him.  A picture  delineating  every  feature,  and  exhib  ting  in 
various  lights  a ffriking  likenefs,  determines  with  greater  pre- 
cinon  who  is  intended  than  could  be  done  bv  even  naming 
him.  The  name  might  be  difputed  as  fymbolical,  but  the  por- 
trait can  admit  cf  no  queflipn. 


[ 54.  ] 


The  duration  of  this  inimical  power  is  limited  and  ascertain- 
ed with  great  precifion.  Daniel  predicts  that  he  lhall  contin- 
ue for  a time,  and  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time.  The  fame 
fymbolical  number  is  expreffed  in  the  Apocalypfe  by  a time t 
and  times,  and  half  a time  ; again  by  fort)  and  two  months  ; and  a- 
gain  by  a thoufand  two  hundred  and  th  reef  core  days.  By  fpecifying 
the  period  under  fuch  various  computions,  we  are  taught,  not 
to  understand  them  in  a literal  fenfe,  as  intimating  only  three 
years  and  an  half,  but  asfymbols  of  a much  longer  time,  where 
a day  is  put  for  a year.  Agreeably  to  this  conftru&ion,  which 
may  eafily  be  proved  to  be  juft  and  fcriptural,*  12G0 
days,  reckoning  30  days  to  a month,  the  manner  in 
which  the  year  was  anciently  divided,  amount  to  1260 
prophetic  years.  The  difference  between  the  folar  3nd  pro- 
phetic year,  of  five  days,  and  a few  hours,  makes,  in  this  long 
period,  without  regarding  a frnall  fraftion,  17  years.  This  de- 
duced from  1260,  leaves  1243  ; the  precife  time  reprefented 
by  the  fymbolical  numbers  of  42  months,  of  three  years  and 
an  half,  and  of  1260  days  ; all  of  which  exprefs  the  fame  pe- 
riod of  time.  This  is  the  whole  fpace  of  the  reign  of  antichrift, 
1243  years  {hall  that  enemy  opprefs  the  caufe  of  truth  and 
righteoufnefs.  So  many  years  the  Church  will  be  in  the  wil- 
derness. So  many  years  the  holy  city  will  he  trodden  under 
foot  by  the  Gentiies.  And  fo  many  years  the  two  wirnefles 
{hall  prophecy,  clothed  in  fackcloth.  If  now  wexan  deter- 
mine the  time  when  this  dark  period  commenced,  we  may  im- 
mediately, by  adding  1243  ycais,  afeertain  when  it  will  ger- 
minate. 

It  is  impoflable  within  the  compafs  of  a {Ingle  note,  to  do 
juftice  to  an  inquiry  l'o  intricate  and  important. . Thefe  who 
•with  to  obtain  ext enfive  information,  may  read  what  Mcde, 
Vitringa,  Daubux,  Lowman,  Durham,  Fleming,  Whitby,  Bilh- 
op  Newton,  Johnfton,  and  other  learned  men  have  written  up- 
on the  {ubject.  To  confirm  what  was  afiferted  in  the  Difcuurle, 
that  the  lateft  calculation  which  has  been,  or  can  be  made  of 
the  fall  of  antichrift,  extends  that  event  to  the  year  1999,  is  all 
that  is  here  intended.  A few  obfervations  will  fuffice  for  this. 

4s  the  introduction  of  errors  into  the  Church,  and  the  con- 
sequent decline  of  truth  and  piety  were  gradual,  it  is  a difficult 
talk  to  (ix,  with  precifion,  the  exadt  time  when  the  reign  of  an- 
jtichrift  commenced.  This  accounts  for  the  variety  of  opinions 
and  calculations  which  have  appeared.  The  earlieft  period 
which  can  be  fuggefted  is  the  year  325.  The  civil  eftablifh- 
irjcn:  and  exteniive  favors  conferred  at  that  time  by  Conftan- 
jine,  have  been  celebrated  by  many  as  the  brighteft  era  and 
molt  prolperous  event  ever  experienced  in  the  church.  But 

* See  A.  FiiA/r.R,  “ Key  to  the  Prophecies part  ii.  feft.  2, 


ethers,  who  form  a different  eftimate  of  the  friendship  o/  tr.t 
world,  have  viewed  the  imprudent  zeal  of  that  Emperor  as  pro- 
ductive of  the  greateft  difafters,  8t  more  pernicious  to  the  inter- 
efts  of  true  religion,  than  the  fierce!!  persecutions  had  ever  prov- 
ed. They  therefore  date  the  rife  of  antichrift  from  that  fatal  peri- 
od. To  this,  if  1243  years  be  added,  the  clofe  of  his  reign  would 
be  in  1568,  about  the  very  time  when  the  Reformation  was 
confurnmated.  Hence  fome  learned  and  good  men  have  main- 
tained, that  antichrift  then  fell,  and  that  the  Millenium  then 
began.  But  fince  that  period,  many  cruei  perfections  have 
exhibited  terrible  proofs  that  antichrift  was  not  fallen.  And 
furely  Satan  was  not  then,  nor  is  he  yet,  bound  in  chains  ! wars 
have  not  ceafed ; nor  is  the  kingdom  of  righteoufnefs  and 
peace  unrverfally  prevalent. 

Antichrift  is  deferibed  under  the  fymbol  of  a b eaft.  And 
ten  horns  or  kings  are  faid  to  receive  their  power  one,  or  at  the 
fame  hour,  with  the  bealt.  Some  have  therefore  held,  that 
the  reign  of  antichrift  commenced  as  foon  as  the  Roman  em- 
pire was  divided  intO’ten  different  kingdoms.  Tncfe  kingdoms 
were  not  formed  until  the  year  4,>6.  If  to  this  be  added  1243, 
the  end  of  the  reign  of  antichrift  would  have  been  in  the  year 
1699. 

It  is  predicted,  2 ! hes.  ii.  7,  8.  He  who  now  letteth  will lsty 
until  he  be  taken  out  of  the  way , and  then  Jhall  that  wicked  one  be 
revealed.  This  fome  have  underftood  to  intimate,  that  as  an- 
tichrift could  not  appear  during  the  government  of  the  Roman 
empeiors,  lb  he  would  arife  immediately  upon  the  removal  of 
that  power,  which,  during  its  exiftence,  hindered  his  domina- 
tion and  tyranny.  The  Roman  empire  was  not  wholly  diffolv- 
ed  until  the  depofition  of  Augu/iulttt , the  laft  who  reigned  over 
the  eaftern  and  weftern  empire.  This  happened  in  the  year 
4>7G,  which  would  extend  the  fall  of  antichrift  to  1719. 
But  neither  of  thefe  calculations  correfpond  with  faffs.  The 
premifes  upon  which  the  conclulions  reft,  are,  of  courfe,  nqt 
accurately  determined. 

Two  periods  which  refpefl  the  immediate  formation  of  the 
Roman  hierarchy,  either  in  regard  to  its  lpiritual  or  civil  con- 
stitution, are  moft  diftinguiflicd,  and  from  one  or  other  of  rhefe, 
the  foundeft  calculations  appear  to  be  formed. 

The  gradual  decline  of  the  Church  had  reached  the  lotveft 
point  of  depreftion,  when  the  Bifhop  of  Rome  a.Tumed  the  ab- 
furd  title,  and  began  to  exercife  the  tyrannic  power  of  Oecu- 
menical or  uoiverfal  Biihop.  This  happened  in  the  year  GOG. 
Then  a beaft  tvas  feen  in  the  Church.  Then  the  ten  horns  or 
kings  fubmitted  to  his  ufurped  fupremacy.  And  then  the  pa- 
pal hierarch  called  himfelf  the  Vicar  of  Chrift,  and  might  he 
legitimately  recognized  as  antichrift.  If  to  this  date  we  add' 


L sc  ] 

/ 

J'243,  the  period  of  Lis  fall  will  be  in  1849 — A period  wfu&bi 
fonie  prefent,  certainly  our  children,  may  live  to  enjoy. 

Others  conceive,  that  as  a Beafi  and  a Hern  are,  in  prophs- 
cy,  fymbols  of  organized  civil  power,  the  former  conveying  the 
additional  idea  of  rapacity  and  cruelty  ; and,  as  antichrid  is  con- 
fidered  as  one  or  the  heads  of  the  civil  empire  and  the  image  of 
the  former  Bead,  that  his  rife  mufl  be  dated  from  the  time 
when  the  Bdhop  of  ft  'me  became  a temporal  prince.  Then 
he  biended  what  in  their  natures  are  eflcntiaUy  diftimft  and 
ought  to  be  for  ever  fepar..te.  i’hen  he  completely  anfwered 
to  the  import  of  the  fymbols,  and  gained  the  fuccefllon  align- 
ed him  for  his  reign  or  government.  This  took  place  in  the 
year  7.56,  to  which  when  1 24? 3 are  added,  we  are  brought  to 
1939,  the  year  immediately  preceding  the  commencement  of 
the  Millennium:  To  this  lad  calculation  the  moll  celebrated 

commentators  appear  to  incline.  The  former,  however,  is  not 
without  its  learned  and  pious  advocates! 

When  the  difciples  inquired  refpe&ing  the  future  events  of 
his  kingdom,  our  Lord  toid  them  it  was  not  for  them  to  know 
the  times  or  the  feajcitf  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  pow- 
er. The  anfvver  alfo  of  the  angel  to  Daniel,  chap.  xii.  implies 
fome  uncertainty  in  relation  to  the  prec’Je  time  for  the  accom- 
piilhtnent  of  at  lead;  fome  of  the  prophe,;es.  But  this  was  not 
intended  to  dilTuade  from  the  fdudy  of  prophetical  feripture,  to 
which  the  people  of  the  Lord  are  often  exhorted  and  encour- 
aged y but  to  fugged  fuitable  humility  and  patience.  Much 
has  been  revealed  to  the  Church  ftnee  the  afeenfion  of  the  Sav- 
ior. It  hath  pleafed  the  Father,  by  the  revelation  of  Jefus 
Chrid,  which  Clod  gave  un  o him , to  [how  unto  his  fervants  things 
which  mu<l  f loortly  corrie  to  paf , and  enough  is  communicated  for 
!ne  exercile  of  their  faith,  and  hope,  and  prayer.  Whatever 
difficulties  then' may  be  attached  to  this  inquiry,  it  is  fuiAcient- 
iy  and  fatisfattorily  afeertained  from  every  calculation  and  eve- 
ry mark  which  didi.ngui  flies  antichrid  r.i  prophecy,  that  if  his 
fall  doth  n6t  come  footier,  it  cannot  be  later  than  1999.  This 
is  the  re'ult  of  the  lated  date  which  ever  has  been,  or  which  in- 
deed can  be  fixed  for  t'  at  event.  It  mud  therefore  at  rardl-’t 
arrive  within  200  years  from  the  prefent  day. 

Q 

The  Millennium, 

THE  Millennium  has  been  mentioned  in  the  Difcouffe,  anu 
confi  lered  as  a point  to  which  onr  calculations  refer  j it  may 


C 57  J 

therefore  be  expected  that  fome  obfervntions  fliould  be  made 
upon  its  nature,  its  commencement,  and  duration. 

* l With  refpeCt  to  its  nature,  or  what  is  meant  by  the  Mil- 
lennium. The  urui  is  tompofed  ot  two  Latin  words,  which 
fignify  1000  years.  It  is  taken  from  Rev.  r.x.  whe  e this 
nu  nber  of  years  is  repeated  fix  times  in  delcribing  the  lame 
p rioJ  During  the  firlt  ages  of  the  Church,  the  doctrine  of 
the  Millennium  was  familiar  and  acceptable.  Under  the 
gloomy  reign  of  antichrill  it  Teemed  to  be  nearly  forgotten; 
and  fo rie  extravagant  fentiments  of  wild  enthuliafls,  who  oc- 
cationally  revived  it,  rendered  the  very  name  dilreputable  and 
odious.  But  with  the  revival  of  religion  and  learnings  the 
Reformation,  when  the  ftudy  of  the  facred  fcriptures  was  en- 
couraged, the  attention  of  the  Churches  was  again  turned  to 
this  important  fubjrCt ; and  as  that  bleffed  period  approaches, 
it  becomes  the  objeCt  qf  more  lerious  inquiry  to  the  Lord’s  peo- 
ple, who  are  waiting  for  his  faivation. 

All  Chriftians  believe  that  an  exceeding  profperous  and  ex- 
cellent ftate  ot  the  Church  is  exprefsly  foretold  ; and  that  this 
isreferved  for  the  lafl  days,  or  the  clofing  period  of  the  New 
Tellament  difpenfation.  But  as  to  what  will  conftitute  that 
Bate,  or  v Herein  its  diftinguilhing  properties  will  confift,  all 
Chri Ilians  are  not  fo  unanimous. 

Various  fentiments  refpe&ing  the  Millennium  have  been  ad- 
vanced, agreeably  to  the  different  rules  of  expofition,  and  dif- 
ferent views  refpcfting  the  order  of  events  which  ha\e  been 
adopted  Some  of  thefe  are  fanciful,  and  the  fruit  of  an  unli- 
cenced imagination  ; others  are  lupported  bv  ingenious  argu- 
ments, and  advocated  by  writers  whofe  celebrity  commands 
refpect.  It'  is  not  practicable  here  to  enumerate  all  thefe, 
much  lefs  to  attempt  to  refute  them. 

Thofe  who  contend  for  a literal  meaning  in  every  predic- 
tion, and  refule  to  admit  any  hieroglyphics,  fymbols,  or  fig- 
ures in  the  prophecies,  have  formed  ides  of  the  Millennium 
which  wou'd,  in  a great  meafure,  change  not  only  the  moral 
but  the  phyfical  Bate  of  the  world.  In  this  view,  among  oth- 
er important  events,  they  expeCt  that  the  Lord  Jefus  will  per- 
fonally  appear  and  remain  prefent  and  vifible  in  his  Church 
during  the  Ipace  of  1000  vears  ; and  that  the  martyrs  will  be 
raifed  from  the  dead,  and  dweffand  reign  with  Chrilt  during 
that  time  on  the  earth.  ExpoGtors  who  are  better  acquainted 
with  the  ftvle  of  prophecy,  have  adopted  a confirmation  more 
correfpondent  with  the  procedure  of  Providence,  and  with  the 
language  and  uniform  doCtrines  of  fcripture.  They  therefore 
underftand  the  predictions  as  expreffing,  not  the  perfonal  pre- 
fence of  Chrilt,  or  the  aCtual  refurreCtion  of  the  martyrs  ; but 

II 


L 58'  J 


the  abundant  grace  and  fpirit  of  Jefus  with  his  Church,  and 
the  character  of  his  people  at  that  day,  who  in  pri-  ciples  and 
converfation  will  be  fiinilar  to  the  martyrs.  As  John,  who 
had  the  lpirit  cf  Elias,  was  defignated  by  that  name  in  p,  ophe- 
cy,fo  all  Ghriftians  will  then  have  the  fpirit  of  the  holy  conftf- 
fors,  who  (ealed  their  teftimony  with  their  blood.  A high  de- 
gree of  fanftification  and  zeal  is  represented  by  the  Unking 
figure  of  the  refurreflion  of  the  martyrs. 

Others  have  evidently  inverted  the  order  of  events.  The 
fcheme  which  merits  moll  attention,  of  this  clafs,  is  that  which 
coufiders  the  Millennium  to  be  the  day  of  judgment.  A day 
which  will  then  commence,  and  with  its  awful  procefs,  compre- 
hend the  v/hole  fpace  of  1000  years.  But  fo  many  exprefs 
texts  of  fcripture,  fo  many  interesting  doffrines  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion, and  Such  lingular  events  which  are  to  happen  fubfe- 
cjuent  to  the  Millennium,  and  which  indicate  the  continuance 
of  the  world,  oppofe  this  fentiment,  that  it  appears  furprif- 
ing  that  minds  fo  well  informed  Should  ever  have  adopted  it. 

Let  it  fuffice  to  obferve — that  by  the  Millennium  is  not 
meant  a fifth  monarchy,  which  in  its  constitution  or  mode  of 
administration  will  be  Similar  to- the  four  preceding — that  the 
kingdom  of  Jefus  will  never  be  a kingdom  of  this  world — that 
it  will  not  interfere  with  other  kingdoms  any  farther  than  t* 
Sanctify  them,  nor  change  the  po'itical  relation  of  nations,  only 
fo  far  as  they  may  oppoiV  the  interefts  of  true- religion'.  This 
interference  in  the  nature  of  things  muSt  produce  great  revo- 
lutions % but  the  change  will  be  for  the  better,  and  terminate 
in  their  Security  and  happinefs.  The  redeemer  will  reign  ia 
the  hearts  at  men,  and  his  rule  and  dominion  be  at  the  far- 
theii  podible  distance  from  what  forms  the  courts,  the  reven- 
ues, and  ostentation  of  civil  policy. 

In  a wo-d,  there  is  nothing  in  our  idea  of  the  Millennium, 
that,  on  the  one  hand,  accords  to  the  crude  notions  of  Chiliafrs, 
who  r'jprefent  it  as  a Stare  oppofed  to  the  Spiritual  nature,  and 
unworthy  the  holy  object  of  the  Redeemer’s  kingdom.  N r, 
on  the  other,  is  there  any  thing  in  the  univerlal  propagation 
of  the  Gofpel  and  its  final  SucceSs  in  the  Millennial  period, 
wnich  iniinuates  that  all  men,  whatever  may  be  their  princi- 
ples end  character,  Sh-iU  be  Saved  The  propagation  of  the 
Gofpel,  and  the  ufe  of  appointed  mean3  to  bring  Sinners  to  re- 
pi ; nance  and  faith,  proceed  upon  principles,  diredtly  oppoled 
to  univerfal  Salvation. 

The  molt  Scriptural,  rational,  and  conne&ed  Sentiment  ref- 
pefting  the  Millennium,  is  that  which  limply  conliders  it  as  a 
period  in  which  the  knowledge  and  influence  of  the  everlalVmg 
Gofpel  (hall  be  exrenfiveiy  experienced.  A fpace  of  one 
ahuuljmd  years,  during  which  the  whole  world  Shall  pi ofefs 


t 59  3 


the  Chriftian  religion,  and  all  nations  fubmit  to  the  righteoufv 
ntfs  and  authority  of  the  bieiTed  Jclus. 

This  happy  (late  is  frequently  and  copioufly  deftribed  by 
the  prophets.  Their  phraleoiogy  is  fo  lingular,  that  the  fub- 
jefi  wherever  it  is  introduced,  can  be  eaGly  didinguifhed  from 
every  other.  They  deferibeit  as  a period  in  which  truth  and 
ho.inefs,  peace  and  joy  lhall  every  where  prevail.  The  abund- 
ance of  grace,  and  tire  plentiful  effufion  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
that  blefled  feafon,  they  compare  to  a river  iHiiing  from  the 
temple  and  rolling  its  falutiferous  dream,  deep  and  broad,  into 
the  ocean,  diffuling  health  and  life  wherever  it  flows.  I he 
•change  produced  in  the  temper  and  condufi  of  men  is  re pre- 
fented  by  a renovation  of  the  natural  world,  and  the  taming 
of  the  tiercel!  beads.  The  fuperior  ha ppinefs  of  that  period 

conli 'er,ed  as  bedowing  additional  fplcnd  r to  the  heavens 
and  increafe  i fertility  to  the  earth.  To  inculcate  the  magni- 
tude of  the  event,  and  its  bLefled  confequences  to  a world 
which  had  long  groaned  under  crimes  and  naileries,  the  molt 
aiftifing  imagt-s  are  introduced,  and  the  force  of  language  is 
exhauded.  liut  there  is  nothing  in  tnefe  flguruive  dekrip- 
tions  of  the  prophets  improper  or  extravagant.  There  is  noth- 
ing in  our  conlmnition  and  view  of  their  predictions  enthudaf. 
tic,  impollible,  or  even  improbable,  nor  akhougn  many  of  the 
deferiptions  Ikould,  as  fon>e  believe  they  will,  obtain  a Literal 
accompliduneot.  If  the  religion  of  Jtfus  be  from  God,  as  it 
certainly  is,  we  may  expefl  a time  will  come,  when  Lhat  reli- 
gion Iliad  exert  its  lulled  energy,  and  be  completely  experienc- 
ed in  all  its  tram  of  happy  confequences  throughout  the 
world;  when  it  (hail  triumph  over  every  falfe  reUgton,  and. 
?11  the  nations  of  theearth,be  blefled  under  its  benign  influence. 
Tais  expe&ation  is  not  hypothetic  or  problematical  ; it  is  con- 
firmed by  the  infallible  word  of  proiuiie,  which  has  given  .the 
fulled  afl’urance  of  that  delirabie  event. 

The  eflcntial  ingredients  of  the  Millennial  period  are — the 
knowledge  of  the  truth  when  all  fhall  be  taught  ot  God — the 
holinefs  that  will  prevail,  when  men  of  every  rank  and  da- 
tion  fhall  live  by  faith,  and  whether  they  eat  or  drink,  do  all 
to < he  glory  ef  God — the  union  cf  the  viflble  Church,  when 
«o  longer  divided,  the  lame  doctrine?,  ordinances,  and  gov- 
ernment* will  conftitnte  one  body — the  abundant  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spiric  as  the  fauctifier  and  comforter  ; whereby 
communion  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  will  be  richly  enjoy- 
ed ; the  means  of  gr*ce  become  wells  cf  [alvation  ; and  every 
acl  ot  worfliip  a feojl  of  fat  things.  Civil  government  will 
not  ceale  ; it  is  the  ordinance  of  God,  and,  while  fociety  re- 
mains, is  edentiai  for  the  maintenance  of  order  ; but  ru:ers, 
by  whoever  name  they  may  be diftinguifhed,  or  with  whatever 


i 60  3 


authority  they  may  be  inverted,  will  then  no  longer  abufc 
their  power,  leek  their  own  advancement,  or  injure  religion  by 
their  wickeJ  examples  and  iniquitous  policy.  Animated  by 
the  fpirit  of  Chrift,  they  will  be  his  fervants,  and  promote  the 
glory  of  God,  the  honor  of  the  Savior,  and  the  happinefs  of 
mankind. — Crimes  will  be  extinCt  in  the  fame  proport 'on  tl  at 
covetoufnefs,  pride,  and  revenge  are  fubdued.  'Ike  w-ckeunfs 
of  the  wicked  will  come  t.  an  end,  when  love,  gertlenets  go,  d- 
nels,  anda'lthe  fruits  of  the  Spirit  abound.  Peace  wd l pre- 
vail, peace  with  God  and  peace  with  man.  H ars  will  ctafe 
un'o  the  ends  of  the  earth  Then  they  fh  i l b.ut  their  J 'words  m- 

to  ploughfloares  and  their  fpears  into  pruning  hocks  ; nation  full 
not  lift  up  J word  againjl  nation,  neither  Jhall  they  tram  icur  any 
more.  The  effedb  of  temperance  will  be  health  and  great 
longevity.  An  active  and  ufeful  life  wilt  be  crowned  with  a 
ferene  and  fruitful  old  age.  Individuals,  families,  and  nations, 
bv  believing  in  Jefua  and  obeying  his  word,  will  be  exeu  p'ed 
from  the  calamities  produced  by  unfa  cThed  p..flions,  and  the 
world  be  bleifed  under  rhe  reign  of  Mifliah. 

2.  When  will  the  Millennium  commence  ? This  is  the 
next  inquiry.  All  the  predictions  concerning  that  happy  peri- 
od,  refer  it  to  the  clofe  of  the  New  Teftament  difpenlation. 
It  is  to  be  in  the  latter  days , in  the  lajl  times.  The  mountain 
is  the  lart  ftate  or  form,  in  w hich  the ficne  cut  out  without  hards , 
after  dertroying  the  image,  is  to"  appear.  But,  theie  are  in- 
dications refpeCting  the  beginning  of  this  period,  from  which 
we  gather  more  than  probable  conjectures — I*  Prom  the  un- 
interrupted order  of  events,  as  arranged  in  the  Prophecies  — 
What  relates  to  the  Millennium  is  introduced  in  the  Apoca- 
lypfe  as  immediately  following  the  defiruCtion  of  Babylen  cr 
antichrirt.  But  this  dertruClion  we  know,  from  tl«e  latelt  pof- 
fible  date,  cannot  be  beyond  the  yesr  1999.  The  Millennium, 
therefore,  which  is  the  next  event  in  fucceflion,  will  commence 
in  the  year  2000.  But — 2.  The  number  Jtven,  io  often  uf- 
ed  in  feripture,  appears  to  have  given  rile  to  an  ancient  calcu- 
lation, faid  to  be  familiar  among  the  Jews  long  before  the 
coming  of  Chrift  ; — “Two  thoufand  years  before  the  law  (or 
before  Abraham)  ; two  thoufand  years  under  t Ire  law  ; two 
thoufand  years  under  the  Meftiah  •,  then  coiveth  the  Sabbath.'’ 
This,  upon  tire  ftriertert  examination,  may  found  to  comdpond 
with  what  we  are  authorized  from  feripture  to  expcCf  will  be 
rea ized. 

I'he  time  employed  in  creation  ; the  inftitution  of  the  fab- 
hat  h ; the  numerous  fabbaths,  not  only  of  days,  but  of  weeks 
and  years ; all  meafured  by  feven,  have  put  a tingular  mark 
upon  a IVventh  portion  of  time  from  the  earlieft  period  of  the 
world.  The  fame  number  is  fanCtioned  in  the  Apocalypfe,  ar^ 


C 61  3 


rendered  peculiarly  difiinCt  and  remarkable.  To  this  general 
oblervaiion  we  may  apply  the  argument  of  I’aul  to  the  He- 
brews,  chap.  iv.  where  he  fpeaks  of  a great  Jubbath  or  re/if 
which  rem?ineth  for  the  people  of  God  ■,  and  ti  e words  of 
Peter,  1 Epil-  chap,  iii  where  he  not  only  aflerts  that  otie  day 
is  as  a thoufand  years,  and  a thoufand  ytars  as  me  day  with  G'd  ; 
but  realons  upon  this  calculation  of  time,  to  refute  IcotFers  and 
eftablith  believers  in  their  expectation  of  the  new  heavens  and  a 
ft.  tv  earth.  Tiie  moil  candid  and  critical  exposition  of  thele 
p llages,  tipecially  when  compared  together,  and  both  confid- 
cred  in  connexion  with  the  peculiar  emph.tfis  God  hat, 
throughout  his  whole  word,  and  in  every  dilperdation  of  his 
Cimrch,  put  upon  the  numberyh/tfl,  lead  us  to  conclude,  that 
the  ieventti  Millenary  period  will  be  as  much  luperior  in  every 
thing  refpecting  religion,  to  all  the  preceding  periods,  as  the 
faobath  excels  the  ordinary  days  of  labor  : That  therefore,  the 
C.iurcli  may  hope  that  iev  nth  portion  of  time  will  be  tue  great 
fabbath  of  the  world.  With  the  opening  of  that  period  we  ex- 
peci  the  Millennium  will  commence. 

3.  i'he  duration  oftne  Millennium,  and  what  from  prophe- 
cy tye  le  .rn  is  to  follow  that  period,  include  tne  remaining  in- 
quiry upon  this  lubjecl.  From  its  name  it  is  determined  to 
be  a tHouland  years.  i'he  only  queltion  upon  this  number  is, 
whether  years  mull  be  here  taken  lymbohcally  or  literally.  If 
the  Hrlt,  a dav  for  a year,  it  would  amount  to  the  prodigious 
term  of  160,000  \ears.  But  it  is  not  here  a fymbolical  num- 
ber. Smaller  things  are  always  uled  aslyinbols  for  greater.— - 
Hence  days  for  years.  But  years  being  the  greatelt  periodical 
revolution  known  to  the  ancients,  were  expreffed  literally. — 
We  are  undoubtedly  in  the  Apocalvpfe  to  take  i;  thus,  and  to 
underfland  this  numoer  as  exprellnig  ftriClly  oi*e  th  ufand 
years  ; a feventh  portion  of  the  great  iv  illenuary  week. 

^s  the  Millennium  will  be  immediately  preceded  by  a terri- 
ble confliCl,  which  is  the  lall  firuggle  of  the  antichriltian  ad- 
verfary,  called  in  prophecy  the  Dfltt.e  of  Armageddon  ; lb  after 
the  thoufand  years  .ire  expired,  Satan,  wno  during  that  whole 
period  had  been  bound,  will  be  loofed  out  of  his prijon,  and  new 
and  unexpected  troubles  will  immediately  arile  in  the  wor  d — 
Thele  are  laid  to  be  conduCied  by  an  enemy  called  G g and 
Magog.  Ezekiel  has  plainly  foretold  and  fully  described  thi$ 
event.  In  the  Apocalyple  the  time  when  it  will  happen  is  fix- 
ed. The  dilcomfiture  of  this  lad  adverfary,  the  victory  in  this 
lad  battle  in  which  the  Church  wil  ever  he  involved,  ciofes  the 
feenes  of  Revelation,  as  to  the  date  of  the  Church  in.tl.is  w orld. 
It  has  pleafed  God  not  to  inform  his  people  what  will  be  the 
fubfequem  train  of  even's.  It  is  enough  to  know  that  captiv- 
ity will  ifien  be  led  captive,  and  all  but  the  lait  enemy,  Death, 


Z 62  3 


be  already  put  under  the  feet  of  our  conquering  Immanuel, 
But  when  the  whole  myftery  of  fa.vation  will  dole  ; when  the 
day  of  judgment  will  open,  and  the  dead  arife,  is  not  revealed. 
This  no  man  knoweth  nor  may  know.  How  long  after  the  de- 
feat of  Gcg  and  Magog,  before  the  blefltd  jefus  will  come  it  be 
glorified  in  his  faints , and  admired  in  all  them  that  beheve,  is  not 
declared.  From  the  ftate  of  things  which  appear  to  be  then 
fully  ripened  and  brought  to  a crifis,  we  may  conclude,  it  will 
not  be  very  long  before  he  will  appear  the  Jecond  time , without 
Jin , for  the  complete  and  eternal  falvation  9/  his  redeemed 
family. 

H, 

The  Martyrs  avenged. 

THE  aftonifhing  events  which  diftinguifh  theclofa  of  th^e 
Jalt  century  are  already  confidered  by  fome  of  the  moll  enlight- 
ened and  pious  minifters  in  Europe,  as  the  commencement  of 
divine  judgments  for  avenging  the  blood  of  the  martyis.  In 
the  Evangelical  Magazine,  an  excellent  periodical  work,  pub- 
lifhed  under  the  immediate  infpeCtion  and  aufpices  of  thel'e 
minifters,  there  is  a review  of  a iermon  upon  the  death  of  Lou- 
is XVI,  where  they  obferve : “ There  are  few  inflances  in 
which  the  retributive  juftice  of  God  has  been  more  evidently 
dilplayed  than  in  the  late  melancholy  events  which  have  taken 
place  in  that  unhappy  nation. 

“ By  all  the  readers  of  ecclefiaftical  hiftory  it  mud  have  been 
obferved,  that  France  has  produced  a greater  number  of  martyrs 
and  confeflbrs  for  pure  Chriftianity  than  all  the  other  Europe- 
an nations.  Exclulive  of  the  Waldenfes , and  Albigenfes , the 
fiifferings  of  the  Proteftants  in  that  kingdom,  from  the  reign  of 
Fiancis  the  Firjl  to  the  period  of  the  Revolution,  have  been 
both  numerous  and  extreme. 

“ When  employed  in  perufing  the  details  of  the  difaftrous 
tranfa&ions  ot  that  country,  protracted  from  age  to  age,  we 
htive  been  aftonilhed  at  the  marvellous  patience  of  God,  and 
his  myfterious  providence,  in  Teeming  to  difregard  the  fouls  un- 
der the  alter , gf  them  that  were  Jlain  for  the  tejlimony  j/  Jefus» 
though  they  daily  cried,  Hoiu  long , O Lcrd,  holy  and  true , doji 
thou  not  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  t Notv 
at  laft,  the  righteous  Jehovah  has  taken  vengeance  ; and  as 
puhilhmeyt  was  long  delayed,  it  has,  according  to  the  divine 
procedure  fallen  on  its  victims  with  the  greater  feveritv.  Nor 
lh  old  it  be  accounted  prefumptuous  if  we  lay,  that  God  has 
mg)  bed  the  trauigreflbrs  in  the  punilhincnt  he  has  infli&cd.  The 


L 6J  } 


Jjng,  tire  Nobles  the  Clergy,  and  the  Parliaments  of  France, 
who  were  all  united  in  perlecuting  the  Proteftants,  do  now  all 
fhnr  in  bitter  fu Strings  themfelves.  We  have  fetn  the  Par- 
liaments and  nobles  annihilated  -r  the  Clergy,  who  were  attach- 
ed to  the  hierarchy  of  Rome,  driven  from  their  country  ; and 
the  King  put  to  death.  Nor  is  this  all ; there  is  fonaething 
ftill  more  ltricking.  Thofe  ftrcets  of  Paris,  which  on  St.  Bar - 
tkolomciv's  day  1572,  ran  with  the  blood  of  the  Proteftants,  are 
in  the  fame  month,  1792,  Sained  with  the  blood  of  fome  hun- 
dreds of  Romifh  Pi  ieSs  : And  as  the  revocation  of  the  edits 
if  Nantes  banifhed  multitudes  of  Proteftants  into  every  country 
that  would  receive  them,  a decree  of  the  national  affumbiy  has 
driven  thoufands  of  the  Clergy  (the  chief  authors  of  the  fuf- 
ferings  of  the  Proteftants)  into  every  kingdom  of  Europe  that 
would  afford  them  an  afylum  Thefe  remarkable  circurn- 
ftances  are  fo  obvious  to  thofe  who  ftudy  the  providence  of 
God,  that  it  is  aftonifhing  they  fhould  be  fo  little  thought  of  at 
the  prefent  time.  Too  many,  we  fear,  have  reafon  to  charge 

» themfelves  with  guilt  for  being  wholly  occupied  with  the  actions 
of  fecond  earths , fo  as  to  dr f regard  the  -work  of  the  Lord , and  the  op- 
eration oj  his  hands .”  Evangel.  Mag.  vol.  i.  179d. 

* L 

f 

Delays  compenfated. 

« THE  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  will,  doubt- 
fcfs.then  be  vaftly  multiplied,  and  the  number  of  redeemed 
ones  much  more.  If  we  fhould  fuppofe  that  glorious  day  to 
laft  no  more  than  a thoufand years,  and  that  at  the  beginning  of 
that  thoufand  years  the  world  of  mankind  fhould  be  juft  as  nu- 
merous as  it  is  now,  and  that  the  number  fflould  be  doubled, 
during  that  time  of  great  health  and  peace,  and  the  univerl’al 
ble fling  of  heaven,  once  only  in  an  hundred  years,  the  num- 
ber at  the  end  of  the  thoufand  years  would  be  more  than  a thouf- 
and times  greater  than  it  is  now  ; and  if  it  fhonld  be  doubled 
once  in  fifty  years  (which  probably  the  number  of  inhabitants 
of  New  England  has  ordinarilv  been  in  about  half  that  time) 
then,  at  trie  end  of  the  thoufand  years,  there  would  be  more 
than  a million  of  inhabitants  on  the  face  of  the  earth  where 
there  is  one  now  ; and  there  is  reafon  to  think,  that  through 
the  greater  part  of  this  period,  at  leaft,  the  number  of  faints 
will,  in  ttieir  increafe  bear  a proportion  to  the  increafe  of  the 
number  0"  inhabitants  We  fhail  be  very  moderate  in  ovir 
conjectures,  if  we  fay,  it  is  probable  that  there  will  be  an  hun- 
dred tuoufand  tunes  more,  that  will  actually  be  redeemed  to 


t 6*  3 


(Sod  by  Chri  (Vs  blood,  during  that  period  of  the  Church's 
profperity,  than  ever  had  been  before,  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world  to  that  time.”  Prefduii  Edwards1  “ Attempt  to  prt 
mate  Agreement  in  Pfeifer”  Lfc. 

K. 

> Perfections. 

The  firfferings  of  the  Church  during  the  firfl  three  centu- 
ries under  the  Roman  Emperors,  were  exceedingly  fevere. — 
Chritbans  were  continually  expofedtothe  hatred  and  violence 
of  their  Pagan  neighbors.  Private  citizens  and  fubordinate 
magiltr^tes  leaded  them  with  cal  umny,  (polled  them  of  their 
property,  an  1 grievoufly  harraffed  them  throughout  the  whole 
of  that  period  ; but  there  were  ten  wafting  perfections  iufti- 
gated  and  infixed  by  the  exprefs  authority  of  the  Emperors. 
The  firfl  was  by  Nero,  which  began  about  A.  D.  67  ; jecond 
by  D omitian,  A.  D.  90  ; third  by  Trajan,  A.  D.  100  ; fourth 
by  Hadrian  and  Ant.  Pius,  A.  D 126  ; -fifth  by  Ant  Philos, 
and  I..  A.  Verus,  A.  D.  168;  ftxth  by  Severus,  A.  D.  208; 
feventh  by  Maximinus,  A.  I).  236  ; eighth  by  Decius,  A D- 
251  ; n-th  by  Gallus  and  Volulianus,  A.  D.  258  ; tenth  un- 
der Dioclefian,  A.  D 300. 

Some  of  thefe  fucceeded  eath  o‘^er  by  very  (hort  intervals, 
and  were  enforced  with  the  moft  lavage  barbarity.  But  fierce 
and  dreadful  as  they  proved,  they  have  been  greatly  exceeded 
by  the  deliberate,  fyftematic,  and  protradted  cruelty  ot  papal 
Rome.  During  a confiderable  portion  of  the  long  period  in 
which  that  idolatrous  and  apoftate  Church  has  prevailed,  (he 
may  betrulv  reprefented  as  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  faints , 
and  with  the  blood  of. the  martyrs  of  Jehus.  Pope  Julius,  in 
feven  years,  was  the  occalion  of  the  (laughter  of  200,000 
Chriftians.  The  maffacre  in  France  cut  off  100,000  in  three 
months  In  the  perfccution  of  the  Albigenles  and  Waldenfes, 
1,000.000  1 their  lives.  From  the  beginning  of  the  Jefuirs 
till  1580 — 900,000  peri llied.  The  duke  of  Alva  put  36,000  to 
death.  'The  inquiiition,  in  thirty  years,  deftroyed  1 50,000  — 
In  Ireland,  300,9*00  were  deftroyed.  And  how  many  have 
been  maflacred  in  other  perfections  in  France  and  Piedmont, 
in  the  Palatinate  and  Hungary,  none  can  fully  eltimate  ; be- 
fdesthofe  that  have  been  in  the  gallies,  or  that  have  fle.l  * — 
Surely  the  Church  of  Chrift  may  (ay,  If  it  had  not  be  n the 
Lord  who  was  on  our fid*  when  men , actuated  by  fuch  principles, 

* See  Fleming  on  the  rife  and full  of  the  Pap, icy. 


ATTti  clothed  with  fuch  power,  rcfe  up  againjl  ns,  thin  they  had 
/wallowed  us  up  quick ; then  the  waters  had  overwhelmed  ut. 
Biejpd  be  the  Lord  who  hath  not  given  us  as  a prey  to  their  teeth  f 


L. 

Miffionary  Societies. 

EVERY  new  fociety  we  confider  as  a new  additional  ally 
ftirred  up  in  defence  of  the  caufe  of  God  ?.nd  in  its  meetings 
and  ks  proceedings  we  fee  a new  army  raifed  for  Chrift,  and 
going  forth  to  fight  the  battles  of  their  Lord.  When  this  fpir- 
it  becomes  general  (as  we  trait  it  will)  through  the  Chriftian 
Church,  there  will  be  a large  and  nobib  army  of  fpiritual  war- 
riors to  carry  the  conqueits  of  Immanuel  through  every  Pagan 
and  Mahometan  country.  In  a word,  here  is  a confirmation  of 
what  has  been  often  fuggefted  of  late,  that  we  behold  the 
dawn  of  a more  gtorious  day  than  the  world  has  yet  ieen.” 
Bvang.  Mag.  Vtl.  viii.  Nov.  1800 


M. 

The  Church  hath  feen  her  Ivorjl  Days. 

HATH  the  Church  furvived  her  levered  trials?  Or,  are 
feenes  of  adverfity,  beyond  what  fhe  hath  ever  experienced, 
yet  in  referve  for  her  ? In  theie  inquiries  Chriftians  are  deeply 
interefted,  and  their  fentiinents  much  divided.  Many  good 
and  great  men  entertain  ferious  apprehenlions  of  approaching 
evils,  and  cannot  diveft  themfelves  of  anxious  fears,  that 
the  gloom  will  actually  thicken  at  the  clofe,  that  the 
number  of  believers  will  be  greatly  diminifhed,  errors  over- 
whelm the  Church,  and  true  religion  be  reduced  to  an  extreme 
point  of  depreffion,  previous  to  that  enlargement  of  the  Re- 
deemer’s kingdom  we  have  contemplated.  Others,  on  the 
contrary,  conceive  the  worft  to  be  paft  ; and  whatever  tempor- 
al afflictions  in  the  impending  difpenfations  of  Providence 
may. await  individual  believers  or  Churches,  that  truth  and 
rrghteoufnefs,  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghoft  will  more  a- 
bun  lantly  prevail,  and  true  religion  in  its  purity  and  power, 
from  this  day  profper  in  the  world,  vaxtly  beyond  what  has  ev- 
er been  heretofore  known. 

It  would  be  gratifying  to  the  Lord’s  people  to  fee  the  argu- 
ments on  both  lides  of  this  queftion  fairly  Rated.  The  fubjeCt 
is  w . rthy  of  a minute  and  impartial  difeuflion.  If  fome  pious 
writer,  who  is  equal  to  the  talk,  would  carefully  inveftigate 

I. 


r 

L 


S&  3 


^hat  appertains  to  this  inquiry,  and  meet  the  fears  and  wifhe> 
of  believers  with  folid  and  1'atisfaCtory  arguments  he  would 
bring  a meflage  in  feafcm  to  the  Churches. — Should  thofe  fears 
be  well  founded,  it  is  time,  indeed,  with  renewed  vigor,  to 
gird  dole  the  gofpel  armor,  and  become  fortified  with  graces 
fuited  to  a day  of  conflict  and  difcomfiture.  But  if  fuch  ap~ 
prehenfions  are  the  refult  of  ignorance  or  unwarrantable  im- 
idity,  if  they  are  not  fupported  by  the  word  of  God,  efpecially 
if  they  contradict  the  word,  and  oppofe  the  evident  procedure 
of  Divine  Providence,  let  them  be  difmifled.  They  tend  to 
mar  the  confolation,  fupprefs  the  prayers,  and  weaken  the 
hands  of  the  faithful  in  the  work,  afflgned  to  tliis  genera- 
tion. 

1.  Thofe  who  expeCt' greater  calamities  to  be  impending, 
refer — to  the  exprefs  prediction  refpe&ing  the  flaying  of  the 
witnefles — to  that  declaration  of  our  Lord  which  implies,  that 
at  his  coming  there  will  be  but  little  faith,  and  confequently 
but  little  holinefs,  the  fruit  of  faith,  in  the  world — to  general 
intimations  in  the  prophetic  word  ot  afflictions,  perils,  and  a- 
poftacy,  which  await  the  Church  antecedent  to  her  enlarge- 
ment, and  mark  the  latter  days — and  to  exifting  fads  which 
portend  more  extenfive  evils,  and  in  their  train  of  confequenc-. 
es,  mud  inevitably  prove  ruinous  to  the  interefts  of  religion. 
From  thefe  four  arguments  the  conclulion  is  principally 
drawn,  that  the  Church  hath  not  yet  feen  her  word  days. 

In  Rev.  xi:  it  is  unequivocally  and  pointedly  foretbld,  that 
the  faithful  witnefles  for  Jefus  during  the  reign  of  antichrift 
would  be  greatly  reduced,  and  their  iituation  rendered  very 
diltrelflng.  The  fird  is  exprefied  by  the  fymbolical  numbed 
two  the  lead  required  to  eftablifb  an  authentic  teflimony, 
The  lad  is  delineated  by  their  prophecying  in  fackloth,  an  em- 
blem of  mourning  and  grief.  This  was  to  characterize  them 
during  the  long  period  of  forty  two  months,  or  1200  prophet- 
ic years.  It  is -added,  and  the  bctijl  Jhall  overcome  them  and  kill 
them.  And  they- are  defcribed  as  lying  unburieiT for  three  dap 
and  an  half,  after  which  they  revive,  begin  their  teflimony  a- 
i ew  in  an  exalted  ftation,  and  with  their  reiurreCtion  the  en- 
largement of  the  Church  commences. 

The  contraction  put  upon  this  prophecy  in  its  connected 
parts,  is, — that  by  the  witnefles  are  meant  all  true  believers  at 
that  time  in  Chrid  ; — that  the  death  of  the  witnefles  is  a dif- 
tinCt  event,  and  fomething  diflerenr  horn,  and  more  than,  the 
reduction  of  their  numbers  or  their  fackcloth  habiliment ; — 
that  this  is  to  happen  at  the- very  dole  of  t lie  fullering  period  ; 
— that  hy  their  death  and  unburied  date  mult  be  n iderltood 
the  total  defect  of  the  power  of  religion,  and  the  entire  ex- 
tinCtion  ot  life  in  the  viiible  Church,  when  a mere  profeflion 
may  dill  prevail,  anu  the  Chiidian  name  continue,  but  all  tint 
is  obiiei  vable  of  the  kingdom  of  Chrilt  will  be  as  a putrid 


t 67  3 


icorpfe,  a body  without  life  ; — and,  finally,  that  this  deplorably 
condition  has  never  yet  been  experienced,  but  is  ftill  to  be  ex- 
pected, and  will  molt  afluredly  be  verified  From  this  con- 
clusion very  ferious  fears  are  excited.  It  is  expefted  Zion  will 
Soon  mourn  in  deeper  Sackcloth,  and  the  interefts  of  religion 
wither  and  expire.  Opprefled  with  thefe  gloomy  apprehen- 
sions, many  excellent  Chriftians  fink  under  the  forebodings  of 
greater  evils,  and  their  hearU  tremble  for  the  ark  of  God.  Our 
limits  reftridt  us  to  a brief  examination  of  the  firft  article  a- 
lone,  and  compel  us  with  reluctance  to  omit  what  was  pre- 
pared upon  each  of  the  other  arguments. 

2.  L'hofe  who  can  difeover  light,  as  well  as  fhade,  enjoy  a 
brighter  profpedf.  They  put  a different  conftrudtion  upon  the 
paflages  of  Scripture  produced,  and  draw  a conclufion  from  ex- 
iling facts,  diredtly  contrary  to  that  advanced  by  their  deG» 
ponding  Bretheren. 

What  is  foretold  of  flaying  the  witnefles,  Rev.  xi  muff,  no 
doubt,  be  underflood  to  indicate  a very  grievous  calamity.  As 
this  fuggefis  the  main  argument  in  the  prefent  quell  ion,  it  de- 
ierves  a dutindt  examination  Let  us  afeertain — who  are  in- 
tended by  the  witnefles — what  is  meant  by  their  daughter — 
who  is  to  perpetrate  this  horrid  deed — and  whether  this  be 
not  already  accomplifhed. 

The  witnesses  are  ufually  underftood  to  refer  to  the  Lord’s 
people,  the  Spiritual  Ifrael  in  the  aggregate.  But  it  deferves 
coniideraticn,  whether  this  general  application  of  the  term  be 
accurate  and  corresponding  wiah  the  J wnbols  and  ftyle  of  this 
book.  All  true  believers  are  indeed  the  Lord’s  witnefles. 
(Ifa.  xl.  10,  12.)  But  in  the  Apocalvpfe,  true  believers,  dur- 
ing the  reign  of  antichrift,  are  particularly  defignated  by  the 
1 ■IS, 000  Sealed.  So  this  Symbol  is  uSed,  chap.  vii.  and  again 
chap.  xiv.  and  this  anSwers  to  the  description  of  his  hidden 
people  under  the  persecution  of  Ahab,  who  were  Said  co  be 
7000,  whom  God  had  referved  for  him) elf  end  did  not  bow  the 
inee  to  Baal.  Thele  were  diftinguifhed  at  that  time  from  Eli- 
jah and  afterwards  Elitha,  who  appeared  publicly  as  witnefles 
for ‘God  and  true  religion.  In  analogy  to  this,  it  may  be  al- 
leged, that  by  the  witnefles  who  were  to  he  {lain  are  meant,  not 
tfhe  whole  Church,  or  Sealed  believers,  who  Served  the  Lord 
during  the  SeaSon  of  persecution,  in  Secret,  but  thofe  eminent 
characters  whom  God,  in  Succeffion,  raifed  up  to  bear  an  open 
•teftimonv  againfl  the  corruption  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 
Some  Such  appeared  in  every  century,  and  their  names  are  en- 
rolled in  ecclefiaflical  hiftorv  to  their  immortal  honor.  Thofe 
of  John  Wickliffe,  Walter  Lollard,  John  Hufs,  and  others 
of  later  times,  are  to  us  molt  familiar.  As  under  the  Old  Tef- 
tament  many  of  the  prophets  and  mefl’engers  from  God,  who 
were  emphatically  his  witnefles,  were  flain  ; So  under  the  New, 
-it  is  here  predicted,  the  Same  bale  and  bloody  work  would  be 


£ 68  3 

wpeated.  If  this  explanation  be  juft,  it  will  remove  much  of 
the  conclufion  built  upon  this  prophecy,  and  exhibit  the  fub- 
jedl  in  a different  point  of  light. 

But  granting  that  by  the  witneffes  are  meant  the  Lord?s  peo- 
ple in  general,  which  is  perhaps  the  mol}  natural  and  coriecft 
conftru&ion,  a fecond  queftion  arifes — What  is  intended  by 
their  slaughter  ? This  cannot  certainly  be  taken  in  a liter  : 
fenfe  for  real  death  or  total  extermination,  as  it  relates  to  ev 
ery  individual  believer,  fince  that  would  imply  the  extinction  < l 
the  Church  on  earth,  which  never  has,  nor  ever  will  be  rtoii 
ed.  It  muft  intend  their  being  brought  very  low,  both  ?s  to 
numbers  and  privileges,  and  applies  immediately  to  the  fufftr- 
ings  before  mentioned.  It  is  evidently  added  as  explanato:  y 
of  the  degree  of  diftrefs  or  the  extreme  point  of  affliction  and 
humiliation  to  which  the  Church  in  the  courfe  of  that  period 
would  be  reduced.  It  cannot  therefore  be  a diftindt  event, 
oor  is  there  any  thing  in  the  prediction  which  determines  it 
as  taking  place  exaftly  at  the  clofe  of  the  1260  years.  If  it 
happens  at  any  time  within  the  limits  of  that  fuffering  period, 
the  import  of  the  prophecy  will  be  anfwered. 

Of  the  perpetrator  and  author  of  the  calamity  there  can 
remain  no  uncertainty.  The  whole  fcexiebelongs  to  anticariil. 
To  him  this  defolation  is  fpecifically  afcribed.  He  is  the  tyrant 
who  reduces  the  number  of  believers  •,  he  makes  them  prophe- 
cy in  fackcloth  ; and  he  kills  them.  From  this  arifes,  at  leaft, 
a probable  conclusion,  that  the  witneffes  have  already  been 
llain  a3  much  as  ever  they  will  be.  Turn  to  antichrift.  Look 
at  him.  free  an  old  firmer  emaciated  by  a fatal  cor.fumption, 
feeble,  defpifed  and  tottering  to  his  downfal ! Is  it  probablq 
that  he  can  now  repeat  fuch  horrid  havock,  that  he  can  now  in- 
flift  ftich  deadly  blows  as  marked  the  prime  of  his  pride  and 
power  ? Are  not  alfo  the  charafler  and  relative  fituation  of  the 
nations  which  heretofore  aided  the  beaft  in  Ihedding  the  blood 
of  the  faints  efi’entially  changed  ? May  we  not  then  expert 
that  the  faltering  hierarch  will  never  again  attempt  the  cruel 
work*,  or,  whatever  may  be  his  impotent  enmity  or  dying 
llruggles,  that  he  will  never  be  able  to  difhonor  himfelf  or 
difturb  the  Church  any  more  by  perfecution  ? 

But  it  does  not  reft  upon  mere  probable  conjerture.  It  is 
reduced  to  a certainty.  The  predirtion  has  been  fully  accom- 
plished, The  evils  comprehended  in  this  part  of  the  prophe- 
cy have  been  experienced.  Every  thing  intended  by  overcom- 
ing and  Lilli/ig  the  witneffes  is  fulfilled.  Thofe  who  are  ac- 
quainted with  the  hiftory  of  the  church,  during  the  gloomy 
period  which  is  juftlv  denominated  the  iron  age  of  ignorance 
and  cruelty,  can  entertain  no  doubt  of  this  faff. 

In  the  twelfth  century,  the  Waldenfes  (fo  called  from  Veter 
Waldo ) and  the  Alblgenfes  (wlio  obtained  their  name  from 
jilby  a city  of  Lawguedoa)  became  very  numerous.  Tliefc 
'iycrc  humble  and  holy  difciples  of  Jefus  Clirift,  and  therefor? 


[ 68  3 


hated  and  perfecuted  by  antichrift.  They  fled  for  refuge  to  dif- 
ferent nations,  and  repeated  afti  of  vengeance  inceffantiy  fol- 
lowed them.  In  Germany  they  were  hunted  down  under  th* 
name  of  Lollards,  and  every  where  purfued  with  fury  and 
death.  rfhe  fifteenth  century  was  the  worft.  Then  the  bloody 
work  reached  its  utmofi  bounds,  and  the  enemy  might  inferibe 
upon  his  medal,  like  \'i,oc\eCiAn%fupcr/:itione  Chrifi  ubique  deie- 
In.  J ,hn  Hufs  and  Jerojie  of  Prague,  were  burned  by  order 
of  the  Council  of  Con  fiance,  in  the  year  Hl(>,  after  which  the 
definition  of  the  faithful  rapidly  increalei.  The  Bohemian 
Cali  tin's  were  (educed  and  overpowered,  and  the  Taborites ,* 
as  they  were  called,  with  their  brethren  in  Piedmont  and 
France,  were,  before  the  clofeof  that  century,  nearly  defolated. 
So  low  were  the  humble  followers  of  Jefus,  during  this  period, 
reduced,  that  with  difficulty  fevers ty  could  be  convened  to 
confuit  upon  meafures  for  continuing  their  Churchy  fo  low, 
that  when  the  remains  of  that  pious  people,  in  the  year  14^7, 
tent  out  four  men  to  travel,  one  through  Greece  and  the  eaft,  an- 
other to  Rnjfta  and  the  North,  a third  to  Thrace  and  Bulgaria,  and 
■jl  fourth  to  Afia,  BJ-  jV.ne,  and  Egypt ; they  returned  with  the 
forrowful  tidings,  that  they  found  no  Church  of  Chrifi  that 
was  free  from  error,  iuaerfiiiion,  and  idolatry.  Two  years  af- 
terwards they  lent  two  perlons  into  Italy  and  France , to  learn 
if  there  were  any  of  the  old  Waldenfes  alive.  Thefe  came  back 
with  the  fad  account, that  they  could  find  none,  but  had  heard  of 
a fe  w remains,  of  the  Piedmontois  fcattered  and  hid  among  the 

* So  called  from  mount  Thabor,  or  rather  from  a town  built  and 
fortified  by  'Life  a,  named  Thabor.  Of  thefe  pious  and  zealous  dfcrple; 
ef  John  H fi,  a very  unfavorable  view  is  given  by  the  learned  Mo- 
jheint  ; “ C.rudelibus  certe  fententiis  irnbuta  tnagna  ejtts pars  er.it,  ct 
nil  nift  btllum  ac  fingainem  hod  item  fuorum  fpirabatf  To  ejlab- 
lifh  this  opinion  he  cites  L.  B;z:nius,  an  obfeure  author,  who  rep- 
refen ts  them  as  a fanatical,  fierce,  and  fangutnary  feet.  If  this 
cited  pafiige  be  genuine,  it  only  proves,  that  among  a people,  ho. -a fid 
and  led  asjfosep  to  the  ,7  tughter,  there  were  fome  individuals,  who, 
when  drives  to  midriffs  by  perfection,  could  not  refrain  their  pa f- 
fionc.  Mofhr.m  exhibits  an  accurate  and  ehbor/te  kifiory  of  the 
fiat  e of  the  Church,  as  far  as  her  fate  was  connected  with  political 
events,  or  involved  in  toe  hfiory  of  furrounding  na'ions  ; but  we 
look  in  vain  to  that  c lebrated  hiilorian  for  the  real  date  of  religion, 
which  conditutes  the  mofi  ejfential  part  of  the  hfior-j  of  the  Char.  ~; 
of  Chrifi.  The  account  of  the  Taborites,  tranjmitted  by  th/fe  who 
m/re  jtsdly  ejlimated  the  character  of  the  humble  followers  of  Jefus, 
is  very  different.  The  pious  prof e for  Lampe  f peaks  in  another  ft y Is 

cf  them.  l<  Melior  vero  Taboritarum , qui  non  folum  Huff  dolhin- 
am,  quoad  reliquos  arficulos,  in  qtiibus  d.ffenjum  a Rotnana  ecclefa 
profcjfui  ernt,  recipiebant,  fed  etiam  purioris  Wahlenfum  ecclefa 
auress  riliquias  inter  fe  fvebant .”  F.  A.  Lampe  Synotfs  llf.o - 
nee  Sacra  et  Fcilfftafiicz.  lib.  ii.  chap,  xi.fcJl.  13. 


C.  -0  ] 


Alps.  Not  long  after  this,  the  remnant  of  the  Taborites  were 
difeovered  and  perfecuted  with  fuch  unrelenting  fury,  that 
few  efcaped.  The  laft  of  them  fuffered  in  1512. 

Then  the  witnefies  were  Cain,  the  delolation  was  complete. 
Then  the  blood  thirfiy  adverfary  had  killed  all  .upon  whom  he 
was  permitted  to  lay  his  cruel  hands.  Any  thing  beyond  thfs 
would,  literally,  have  been  a total  extirpation.  For  the  fpace  of 
three  days  and  an  half,  this  is,  three  and  an  half  prophetic  years, 
the  Church  was  to  continue  in  this  low  eftate.  How  obferv- 
abie,  that  juft  that  fpace  of  timeelapfed  from  that  -laft  martyr- 
dom to  the  preaching  of  Zwinglius,  who  then  openly  began  to 
teftify  againll  antichrift.  The  next  year,*  1517,  Luther,  the 
great  Boanerges,  came  forward,  and  was  foon  joined  by  a cloud 
of  zealous  adherents,  who  nobly  withftood  the  rage  of  the 
enemy,  and  boldly  defied  all  the  thunder  of  the  Vatican. 

Then  the  witnefies  began  to  arife,  and  the  fpitit  of  life  fron. 
God  entered  into  them.  In  the  year  1529,  when  many  Chriftian 
princes  and  chiefs  of  the  feveral  nations  prot«*fted  againft  the 
edift  of  Worms  and  Spires,  it  might  be  laid  that  the  witnefies 
food  upon  their  feet . And  after  the  victory  .obtained  over  Charles 
by  Maurice  of  Saxony,  in  the  year  1552,  the  witnefies  afeended 
and  their  enemies  beheld  them  ; they  attained  a high  fiation,  and 
were  publicly  protected  in  the  fymbolicai  language,  they  alcend- 
cd  up  to  heaven  ; J and  they  have, in  fome  degree, ever  lince  main- 
tained that  elevated  ftation,  and  been  greudy  honored  and  ex- 
ienfively  blefied  Whatever  partial  injuries  they  have  fufiained^ 
whatever  retrograde  fteps  may  have  been  taken,  and  Ioffes  ful- 
tained  by  the  church  lince  the  reformation  j or  whatever  may  be 
the  troubles  with  which  fhe  may  be  called  yet  to  ftruggle,  they 
never  have  been,  nor  ever  will  be  brought  fo  low  again.  The 
witnefies  have  been  killed,  and  their.refurredtion  has  commenc- 
ed. Their  defolation  was  gradual,  and  their  refulcitation  wiW 
be  gradual.  It  has  began,  and  will  incrcafe.  The  prediction 
refpe&ing  their  death  is  already  accomplished.  Nothing 
can,  therefore,  be  alleged  from  this  prophecy  to  authorize  the 
expectation  of  any  future  low  eftateof  the  Church,  but  rather 
a certain  proof  of  her  increafeand  profperity. 

The  remaining  arguments  to  prove  that  the  interells  of  true 
religion  will  decline,  and  the  Church  fee  worfe  days,  which  are 
drawn  from  scripture,  may  be  all  anlwered,  by  aliening, 
■without  the  leaft  hefitation,  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  word 
of  God  to  fupport  fuch  conclusions.  The  pafiages  which  are 
adduced,  when  corredtly  explained,  will  be  found  either  to  re- 
fer to  what  has  already  been  fulfilled  ; or  to  exprefs  a low  ftate 

* That  'Zwinglius  began  ore  year  before  Luther , fee  fob.  Hen. 
Hettinger  i Hi  for  ire  Reformationis  Helvetia;,  tom.  ii.  lib.  6.  Ato- 
Jbeim  aeknotoledges  “ Zwinglius,  quod  deffiteri  nolumus  veritatis 
partem  quamdam  jam  perfpexerat  anteepuam  Luther  am  publics  cum 
pontifee  congrcdcretitr ,w 


L 71  ] 


of  feligion,  without  deciding  the  degree  of  apcft'acy,  and  to 
which  the  prefent  ilate  fufficientlv  anfwers  •,  or,  finally,  to 
announce  conflidts  and  trials  arifing  from  the  difpeniations  of 
providence,  in  which  the  real  interells  of  religion  will  not  be 
injured,  but  afhially  increai’ed  and  made  ultimately  to  triumph. 
The  •wall  has  been,  and  will  again  bt  built , even  in  troublous  tunes. 

Arguments  from  exifting  facts  are  more  alarming.  The 
three  principal  clafles  to  which  thefe  are  reduced,  which  can- 
not here  be  even  enmnerated,are,each  of  them  formidable,  and 
in  their  infeperable  confequences,  if  permitted  to  prevail  j-  and 
become  univerfal,  would  inevitably  prove  ruinous  to  the  Church 

f Whoever  blasphemes  the  Redeemer , blasphemes  the  Creator l 
He  that  honour eth  not  the  Sen  cannot  honor  the  Father.  In  oppof- 
ing  revealed  religion , it  is  impofftble  to  avoid  oppofition  to  the  religion 
of  nature.  Deifm  in  theory  has  its  fixed  limits  ; but  the  fptrit  of 
infidelity  is  as  much  at  enmity  againfi  natural  religion  as  revealed  ; 
and  •when  once  engaged  in  oppofition  to  the  latter , it  unavoidly  over - 
/ leaps  the  boundaries  of  the  former  Infidels  may  begin  againfi  the 

Bible , but  they  •will  end  againfi  the  light  f nature.  This  unhappy 

contefi  always  militates  againfi  the  fir  (I  principles  of  moral  obliga- 
tion, and  what  was  fitmple  deifm  at  fir  d,  with  all  its  fair  preten- 
tions, becomes , when  vigoroufiy  maintained , aElual  atheifm  in  the 
fequel.  This  accounts  for  what  many  ccnfider  as  a phenomenon 
in  the  charaEler  which  dogmatizes  infidels  ; and  this  cinfirms , con- 
trary to  their  intention , the  divine  origin  of  that  holy  fydem  of  re- 
vealed truths , and  duties , againfi  which  they  Wage  fitch  wicked  and 
fruitlefs  war.  In  falling  upon  that  done  they  break  themfclves.  Ah  / 
i when  that  filone fhall  fall  upon  them,  it  will  grind  them  to  powder. 

After  all  the  writings , labors,  and  vaunting!  on  one  fide, 
and  the  alarms  and  fears  on  the  other,  what  has  infidelity 
gained ? Are  the  deifts  multiplied?  Arethey  honored?  Is 
their  caufe  becoming  mote  popular  ? Is  it  patronized  by  many  men 
of  information  > Whatever  may  be  the  unfair,  as  it  refpeEls  Eu- 
rope, it  is  a decided  fill,  that  deifm  is  declining  in  America. — 
That  impious  philofophy,  which,  by  its  novelty  and  impudence  in - 
pcfed  upon  the  public  mind > is  fo  deflitute  9f  found  principle,  and  its 
abettors  are  detected  in  fo  much  ignorance  or  wilful  mifreprefen- 
tation , that  not  only  the  wife  and  good  dcfpije  and  abhor  it,  but  evert 
the  young  and  unexperienced  have  learned  to  Jhun  a fydem  replete 
with  biafphemy  end ftupidity  Many  who  once  inclined  towards 
infidelity,  have  obtained  clearer  views.  Itifiead  of  finding  a belter 
religion , they  there  found  none  at  all.  They  have  penetrated  through  * 
the  e'eud , and  begin  to  love  their  Bible.  Bookfelltrs  declcrc  this 
to  be  the  book,  of  all  others,  now  mo  ft  railed  for,  and  of  readiefi  /ale. 
This  is  not  a favor  able  fymtorn  jor  infidelity.  Let  men  read  and 
underfund  the  Bible,  and  they  will  be  fortified  againfi  the  fophifms 
and  fnares  of  the  ungodly.  Lit  parents  recommend  this  befit  of  all 
books  to  their  children,  and  the  rifing  generation  will frown  irfidels 
and  their  writings  into  defer  red  contempt  and  oblivion.. 


t 72  j 

of  Chnft.  Bab  the)'  will  not  prevail.  They  can  never  become 
univerfal. 

"Zion  looks  for  her  enlargement  to  the  fovereign  ^race  and 
power  of  her  divine  Redeemer.  In  him  are  all  her  firings. 
The  Lord  is  her  help  and  fhield.yir  vain  is  the  h ip  of  wan. 
There  is  nothing  on  the  part  of  fmners  which  can  fuggeft  en- 
Srourgement  or  juftify  defpair.  Sinners  will  never  fubrnit  to 
Jefus  as  the  Lord  their  righteousness,  or  be  willing  to  be 
faved  by  him  from  their  fins,  except  they  are  regenered  by  the 
Spirit  of  God.  The  Spirit  of  God  gives  life  to  all  that  live. 
He  renews  and  fandifies ; he  teaches  and  guides  into  all  truth  ; 
he  convinces  and  reproves  of  fin,  of  righteoufnefs,  and  of  judg- 
ment. By  his  gracious  influences  accompanying  the  word,  by 
his  fpecial  and  effedual  operations  upon  their  fouls,  finnfirs 
are  enabled  to  repent  and  believe.  Where  the  Spirit  breathes, 
whether  in  the  thronged  city  or  the  lonely  cottage,  there  re- 
ligion profpers ; without  him,  names  and  forms  are  fall'e  and 
hollow,  mere  founding  brafs  or  tinkling  fymbfo  s. 

How  loon  the  Lord  can  make  a way  in  the  nvildtrnefs , and  open 
rivers  in  the  defer t ; how  foon  the  Spirit  can  raife  a ftandard, 
plant  his  fear  and  love  in  hearts  which  were  hardened  in  pro- 
fanenefs  and  infidelity,  and  in  the  fymbolical  language  ot  I- 
faiah  make  the  dragons  and  the  owls  honor  him,  have  been  evinced 
in  the  late  aftonifhing  revivals  of  religion  in  marry  places,  and 
particularly  in  fome  of  the  Weftern  and  Southern  States;  a 
work  attended  with  many  fingular  occurances,  but  which  has 
been  pronounced,  Upon  the  moll  impartial  and  accurate  exam- 
ination, to  be  a fignal  dif play  of  the  power  of  divine  grace. 
Thefo  fads  refute  the  fears  of  defponding  believers,  and  are 
fplendid  tokens  for  good  to  the  interells  of  religion. 

But  the  moft  illuftrious  pledge  is  found  in  the  miffionary 
fpirit  which  has  pervaded  tne  Churches.  This  has  already 
proved  a fource  of  precious  blefiings  to  thofe  who  have  hearti- 
ly engaged  in  it,  and  is  an  undeniable  earned  for  the  enlarge- 
'ment  cf  the  Redeemer’s  kingdom.  It  is  the  greateft  event 
that  has  happened  fince  the  Reformation,  and  as  it  (lands  con- 
nected with  proximate  and  remote  confcquences,  is  far  fuperior 
to  it.  A new  era.  is  formed  in  the  Church,  and  with  it  a new 
argument  to  prove  that  fhe  is  rifing  to  higher  profperity.  This 
is  another  Ih-p  in  the  gradual  plan  to  bring  her  out  of  the  wild- 
ernefs.  Tuts  is  another  advancement  in  the  refurredion  of 
the  witnefles.  This  inlures  acquifittons  abroad  which  willa- 
burtdantly  compcnf  ite  for  defedion  and  lofles  at  home.  If 
thofe  who  have  often  been  called  refufe  to  come,  the  ma  th  (ball 
give  up,  the  faith  no  longer  keep  rack,  and  the  heathen  from  the 
uttermoit  parts  of  the  earth  will  f.y  to  Jel'us,  as  the  doves  to  their 
windows.  If  Churches  which  have  long  enjoyed  miniflers  and 
ordinances,  abufe  jheir  privileges,  depart  from  the  dodrines  of 
grace,  and  fink,  intu  formality,  the  Hottentots  and  Hindoos,  the 
Tartars  and  the  Indians  will  take  up  the  crofs , and  fliout  their 
Saviour’s  p raife. 


